UNIVERSITY  OF 

ILLINOIS  LIBRARY 

AT  URBANA-CHAMPAIGN 


ILLINOIS  HISTORICAL  SURVEY 


THOMAS  HUTCHINS 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION  OF 
VIRGINIA,  PENNSYLVANIA,  MARY- 
LAND, AND  NORTH  CAROLINA 

Reprinted  from  the  original  edition  of  1778 

EDITED    BY 

FREDERICK  CHARLES  HICKS 


cleveland 

The  Burrows  Brothers  Company 

1904 


COPYRIGHT,    IC)04 


THE    BURROWS    BROTHERS   COMPANY 


ALL    RIGHTS    RESERVED 


1 

CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Biographical  Sketch  of  Thomas  Hctchixs        7 
A  List  of  the   Works  of  Thomas 

HUTCHENS  ....  53 

A  Topographical  Description,  Etc.,      .  G7 

Index         .....  139 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Hutchins's  Commission  as  Captain-Lieuten- 
ant .  .  .  facing    21 

Facsimile  of  Original  Title-Page       .  69 

A  Plan  of  the  Rapids  in  the  River  Ohio 

facing     80 

A  Plan  of  the  Several  Villages  in  the 

Illinois  Country     .  .  facing  112 

A  Table  of  Distances  Between  Fort  Pitt 
and   the    Mouth    of   the    River   Ohio 

facing  134 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH  OF  THOMAS 
HUTCHINS 

THE  first  and  only  civil  "geographer  of  the 
United  States,"  Thomas   Hutchins,  was  a 
man  whose  life  and  works  are  full  of  inter- 
est.    Yet  no  extended  account  of  him  has  ever 
been   published,  and  only  scant   recognition    has 
been  given  to  his  work. 

There  is  evidence  of  the  high  esteem  in  which 
he  was  held  by  his  contemporaries,  both  as  an  indi- 
vidual and  in  his  public  capacities.  Hazard,  writ- 
ing to  Belknap  on  July  13,  178!),  says  that  he  was 
"a  man  of  good  character,  of  polite  manners,  of 
great  integrity,  who  made  a  regular  profession  of 
religion.  He  joined  Dr.  Rodger's  church  some 
time  ago."*  Belknap  volunteered+  to  write  an 
account  of  Hutchins's  life  to  be  placed  in  his  Amer- 
ican Biography,  but  unfortunately  did  not  ful- 
fill his  promise.  Had  he  done  so,  the  labor  of  this 
fragmentary  account  would  have  been  materially 
lessened.  Belknap,  however,  could  not  have  fore- 
seen the  extraordinary  results  that  were  to  come 
from  Hutchins's  work  while  geographer  of  the 
United  States.  The  importance  of  this  work  has 
become  apparent  only  through  the  enormous 
growth  of  the  public  land  system  of  the  United 

♦Massachusetts  Historical  Society  Collections,  ser.  5,  vol.  iii.,  p.  139. 
\Ibid.,  p.  136,  143. 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

States,  now  applied  to  an  area  many  times  larger 
than  the  whole  federal  territory  in  1780,  and  under 
the  administration  of  a  special  office  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  the  Interior.  The  system  of  land  platting 
now  used  by  the  Commissioner  of  the  General  Land 
Office  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  invention  of 
Thomas  Hutchins.  A  little  more  than  three  years 
before  his  death,  his  survey  of  public  lands  in  Ohio 
was  commenced.  At  the  time  of  his  death,  he  had 
surveyed  four  of  the  "seven  ranges,"  and  had  put 
in  practice  the  rectangular  system  of  dividing 
lands  in  squai'es  of  one  mile  with  meridian  lines, 
marking  on  the  corner-posts  the  number  of  the 
section,  town,  and  range.  The  only  part  of  this 
system  that  has  been  changed  in  the  surveys  of 
today  is  the  method  of  numbering  the  sections. 

So  simple  and  effective  has  this  system  proved 
that  no  one  other  circumstance  has  so  facilitated 
the  settlement  of  the  West.  It  has  enabled  large 
tracts  to  be  platted  with  accuracy  and  despatch, 
opened  them  to  systematic  settlement  on  a  sound 
basis,  and  reduced  to  a  minimum  vexatious  suits 
over  boundary  lines.  While  the  question  of  the 
authorship  of  this  system  may  never  be  settled 
absolutely,  it  is  certain  that  to  no  one  belongs  a 
greater  meed  of  praise  than  to  the  man  who  first 
applied  the  system  in  the  "seven  ranges"  from 
which  has  spread  out  the  great  network  of  western 
surveys. 

Were  this  Hutchins's  only  achievement  it  would 
justify  an  examination  into  the  events  of  his  life. 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

But  his  ceaseless  activity  and  great  ability  repay 
this  attention  regardless  of  his  position  as  official 
geographer.  By  his  travels  in  the  western  country 
he  contributed  to  one  of  the  greatest  influences  in 
American  history,  namely,  the  influence  of  move- 
ment. His  pioneer  work,  and  his  surveys  of  roads 
and  of  land  tracts,  when  recorded  in  his  books  and 
maps,  showed,  first,  what  there  was  to  be  attained, 
and,  second,  how  it  might  be  reached.  Almost 
from  boyhood  his  life  took  on  the  pioneer  charac- 
ter, and  his  work  was  largely  done  in  an  official 
capacity. 

Thomas  Hutchins  was  born  in  Monmouth 
County,  New  Jersey,  in  ll'.W.  "His  parents  dying 
while  he  was  young,  an  uncommon  diffidence  and 
modesty  would  not  permit  him  to  apply  for  pro- 
tection or  employment  from  his  relatives,  who  were 
very  respectable,  at  New  York,  and  would  have 
been  very  ready  to  assist  him;  but  rather  chose  to 
seek  some  business;  and  accordingly  before  he  was 
sixteen,  went  to  the  Western  Country,  where  he  was 
soon  appointed  an  ensign,  and  paymaster-general 
to  the  forces  there.""  Hutchins  says  in  his  memo- 
rial to  Franklin^  in  1780  that  he  has  served  "as 
a  British  officer  more  than  twenty-two  years." 
This  statement  is  supported  by  the  official  records. 
He  did  not.  however,  commence  his  military  ex- 
perience as  an  ensign.  When  troubles  prelimin- 
ary to  the  French  and  Indian  War  began  to  be 

*New  York  Daily  Gazette,  May  20,  17811. 
fSee  post,  \<.  24. 

y 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

fomented,  the  colonies  were  called  upon  to  raise,  at 
their  own  expense,  troops  for  the  protection  of 
their  western  frontier.  In  1755,  England  had  in 
America  only  one  thousand  regular  soldiers.  The 
colony  of  Pennsylvania  raised  a  regiment  in  which 
Hutchins  received  a  commission  as  lieutenant  on 
December  18,  1757.*  In  less  than  a  year,  June 
7,  1758,  he  was  promoted  to  the  position  of  quar- 
termaster in  Col.  Hugh  Mercer's  battalion.^  It 
was  just  at  this  juncture  that  General  Forbes  was 
assembling  his  army  at  Carlisle.  Undismayed  by 
General  Grant's  defeat  of  September  14,  General 
Forbes  pressed  forward  toward  Fort  Duquesne, 
within  one  day's  march  of  which  he  arrived  on 
November  24,  1758.  The  French,  fearing  his  ap- 
proach, burned  and  abandoned  the  fort.  On  the 
next  day,  Forbes  occupied  the  deserted  site,  which 
he  garrisoned  with  the  provincials  under  Colonel 
Mercer,  while  he  marched  on  to  Lancaster,  Read- 
ing, and  Philadelphia.  Hutchins  was  in  this  gar- 
rison at  Fort  Duquesne,  thenceforth  to  be  called 
Fort  Pitt,  serving  as  lieutenant  and  quartermaster. 
At  the  death  of  General  Forbes  in  1759,  General 
Stanwick  succeeded  him.  In  the  list  of  officers 
stationed  at  Fort  Pitt  on  July  9,  1759,  we  find  the 
name  "Lieutenant  Hutchins; "+  so  that  he  was 
present  during  the  building  of  the  formidable  fort 
undertaken  in  August  by  General  Stanwick.    That 

*  Pennsylvania  Archives,  ser.  1,  vol.  iii ,  p.  337;  ser.  2,  vol.  ii.,  pp. 
545,  558. 

^Ibid.,  ser.  2,  vol.  ii.,  p.  563. 

%The  Olden  Time,  edited  by  Neville  B.  Craig,  vol.  i„  p.  195. 
10 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

he  was  still  in  Fort  Pitt  on  August  0,  1759,  is 
shown  by  the  fact  that  on  that  date  he  addressed 
a  letter  to  "Capt".  James  Young,  Paymaster  to  the 
Pennsylvania  Troops,"  in  which  he  (motes  informa- 
tion concerning  Indian  affairs  which  had  been 
received  by  Colonel  Mercer  on  August  4  and  5. 
The  letter  is  endorsed  by  "Lieut.  Hutchins." 

Hutchins's  name  does  not  appear  in  the  "List 
of  the  officers  of  the  Pennsylvania  regiment,  for 
the  year  1700."*  Having  acquired  a  taste  for 
military  service,  he  evidently  determined  to  adopt 
it  as  a  profession.  Accordingly  we  find  in  "A  list 
of  officers  who  served  in  the  Pennsylvania  reg't  of 
3  batt'ns,  A.  D.  1758  &  '51),  with  their  ranks  they 
were  promoted  to  after  that  time,"  that  Hutchins 
has  entered  the  "Regular  Service.''^  The  name 
"Thomas  Hutchinson"  appears  in  the  official 
British  army-lists  for  the  years  1703  and  1704, 
among  the  ensigns  in  the  (50th  or  Royal  American 
regiment  of  foot  under  the  command  of  Sir  Jeffery 
Amherst.  The  date  of  Hutchinson's  first  connec- 
tion with  the  army,  and  of  his  commission  as  en- 
sign is  given  as  "2  Mar.  1702."  In  the  lists  for 
1705,  17GG,  1707,  and  1708  is  given  the  name 
"Thomas  Hutchins"  in  the  same  relative  position 
in  the  list  of  ensigns,  and  with  the  same  date  of 
commission.  "Hutchinson"  is  therefore  probably 
a  misprint  for  "Hutchins,"  so  that  it  seems  likely 
that  Hutchins's  connection  with  the  regular  British 

*  Pennsylvania  Archives,  ser.  2,  vol.  ii.,  p.  563. 
\lbid.,  p.  609. 

11 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

army  as  an  officer  did  not  commence  until  1762.* 
The  acceptance  of  a  rank  subordinate  to  that  which 
he  had  previously  held  is  explained  by  the  fact 
that  the  commissions  of  provincial  officers  were 
rated  lower  than  those  of  the  lowest  rank  of  reg- 
ular British  officers. 

There  is  no  record  of  how  Hutchins  acquired 
his  knowledge  of  engineering,  except  in  the  experi- 
ences which  have  just  been  narrated.  Nor  is  it 
possible  to  state  upon  what  missions  he  was  em- 
ployed prior  to  the  year  1700. 

The  earliest  record  of  his  travels  in  the  western 
country  is  contained  in  "A  journal  of  a  march 
from  Fort  Pitt  to  Venango — and  from  thence  to 
Presqu'Isle,"  which  is  presumed  to  have  been  kept 
by  Hutchins  himself.  The  march,  probably  in  the 
detachment  of  troops  led  by  Colonel  Bouquet,  was 
made  from  July  7  to  July  17,  1700.  This  journal 
is  the  earliest  account  we  have  of  the  country 
traversed  after  it  came  into  English  hands.  It  is 
the  only  one  of  the  Hutchins  papers  that  has  been 
printed.t 


*Winthrop  Sargent  in  his  The  History  of  an  Expedition  against 
Fort  Die  Quesne  in  IJ55  (Pennsylvania  Historical  Society,  vol.  v.,  p. 
123,  note),  says,  "It  is  believed  that  the  famous  geographer  Thomas 
Hutchins,  the  historian  of  Bouquet's  expedition,  on  this  occasion  re- 
ceived his  first  commission  as  ensign  in  the  King's  South  Carolina  In- 
dependent Company."  The  "occasion"  referred  to  by  Mr.  Sargent  is 
une  recorded  in  Historical  Records  of  the  Life  Guards  (London,  1835), 
where  at  page  154,  note,  it  appears  that  "Thomas  Hitchins,"  formerly 
in  the  Life  Guards,  was,  on  December  25,  1746,  given  a  commission  as 
"Ensign  in  an  Independent  Company,  South  Carolina."  There  is  no 
evidence,  except  the  similarity  of  names,  in  support  of  Mr.  Sargent's 
conjecture. 

^Pennsylvania  Magazine  of  History,  vol.  ii.,  pp.  149-153. 
12 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

In  the  year  1763,  the  Indians  under  Pontine 
formed  a  general  plan  to  capture  simultaneously 
all  the  forts  held  by  the  English.  Forts  Le  Boeuf, 
Venango,  Presqu'Isle.  La  Bay,  St.  Joseph's.  Miamis, 
Ouiatenon,  Sandusky,  and  Michillimackinac  imme- 
diately fell.  Forts  Pitt  and  Detroit  were  sur- 
rounded and  placed  in  a  very  critical  situation. 
At  Fort  Pitt  there  were  only  three  hundred  and 
thirty  soldiers,  tradesmen,  and  woodsmen,  under 
the  command  of  Captain  Ecuyer.  With  this  gar- 
rison, he  held  out  gallantly  until  the  arrival  of 
reinforcements.  In  this  resistance,  Hutchins,  who 
had  been  in  the  garrison  almost  continuously  since 
1759,  took  an  important  part.  On  March  19, 
17G3,  he  left  the  fort  on  a  mission  that  had  been 
ordered  by  Colonel  Bouquet.*  He  returned  on 
May  29,  bringing  with  him  six  much  needed  re- 
cruits. From  June  i  to  October  17.  there  is  men- 
tion of  his  having  been  on  guard,  serving  on  courts 
martial,  and  performing  important  services  at  the 
fort.  Pent  up  in  the  enclosure,  and  constantly  em- 
ployed in  repairing  the  ravages  of  a  destructive 
flood,  the  garrison  was  very  much  overworked.  Of 
Hutchins  in  this  connection.  Captain  Ecuyer  writes 
to  Colonel  Bouquet  on  June  10,  1763,  "No  one  has 
offered  to  help  me  but  Mr.  Trent,  to  whom  I  am 
much  obliged,  as  well  as  to  Mr.  Hutchins.  who 
has  taken  no  rest.     He  oversaw  the  works  and  did 

*For  this  and  following  references,  see  Darlington  (  Mary  Carson  |, 
Fort  Pitt  and  Letters  from  the  Frontier  '  Pittsburg,  1892 ) .  The  data 
are  taken  from  the  manuscript  Bouquet  Papers  in  the  British  Museum. 

13 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

his  duty,  at  the  same  time,  that  is  praiseworthy 
and  he  merits  recompense." 

For  the  relief  of  the  beleaguered  garrison,  Col- 
onel Bouquet  and  his  army  were  detached  from 
Carlisle,  and  after  the  decisive  battle  at  Bushy 
Run,  August  5  and  G,  arrived  at  Fort  Pitt  on  Au- 
gust 9.  Hutchins  was  not  in  this  engagement, 
since,  on  August  4,  he  sat  as  a  member  of  a  court 
martial  at  Fort  Pitt.  His  survey  of  the  battle- 
ground was  made  at  a  later  date,  and  the  situation 
of  the  troops  indicated  from  information  furnished 
him.  On  October  17,  1763,  Colonel  Bouquet  des- 
patched from  Fort  Pitt  to  Fort  Ligonier  a  detach- 
ment under  Captain  Stewart.  In  the  orders  for 
this  march  appears,  "Ensign  Hutchins  is  to  do  adju- 
tant's duty,  and  all  orders  received  from  him  are 
to  be  obeyed."  Of  Hutchins's  services  on  this 
expedition,  Captain  Ecuyer  writes,  "I  must  not 
neglect  to  recommend  to  you  Mr.  Hutchins  as  a 
worthy  officer.  He  has  given  himself  all  imagin- 
able trouble  and  has  been  of  great  use  to  Captain 
Stewart  and  the  detachment.  His  diligence  and 
good  will  merits  more  than  I  can  tell  you." 

At  Fort  Pitt,  Hutchins  laid  out  the  plans  for 
new  fortifications  and  later  executed  them  under 
the  direction  of  Colonel  Bouquet.  The  redoubt 
built  at  this  time  is  still  standing,  the  only  relic  of 
British  activity  in  Pittsburg.  Hutchins's  plan  of 
Fort  Pitt  and  the  surrounding  country  is  preserved 
in  the  library  of  the  Pennsylvania  Historical  So- 
ciety.    In  1764,  Colonel  Bouquet  set  out  with  his 

14 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

army  for  the  total  reduction  of  the  western  Indians. 
Hutchins  accompanied  him  on  this  expedition  as 
assistant  engineer.  They  left  Fort  Pitt  on  October 
3,  arriving  at  the  forks  of  the  Muskingum  on  No- 
vember 18.  Here  conferences  were  held  with  the 
Indians,  resulting  satisfactorily  for  the  British  con- 
tention. The  expedition  then  retraced  its  steps  to 
Fort  Pitt,  where  it  arrived  on  November  28. 

An  account  of  this  expedition,  with  an  introduc- 
tory account  of  the  campaign  of  1 703,  was  published 
anonymously  in  Philadelphia  in  1765,  and  Hutch- 
ins's  maps  which  he  had  drawn  upon  the  ground, 
marking  the  route  and  camping-places,  formed 
part  of  the  work.*  Rich,  Allibone,  and  others 
state  that  Hutchins  was  the  author  of  the  text  of 
this  volume;  but  a  manuscript  letter  in  the  Force 
collection  in  the  Library  of  Congress  seems  to 
prove  that  Dr.  William  Smith  prepared  it  from 
notes  furnished  him  by  General  Bouquet.  Never- 
theless, there  is  contemporary  evidence  that  Hutch- 
ins, during  his  lifetime,  was  known  as  the  author 
of  this  work;  for  in  his  obituary  notice  published 
in  the  JVew  York'  Daily  Gazette,  Wednesday,  May 
20,  1789,  is  mentioned  his  connection  with  "Gen- 
eral Boucquett,  an  account  of  whose  transactions 
and  campaigns  was  drawn  up  and  published  by 
him  in  this  city,  about  the  year  1758  [sic]."  A 
discussion  of  the  authorship  of  this  work  is  con- 
tained in  an  article  by  Col.  Charles  Whittlesey  on 
the  "Origin  of  the  American  system  of  land  sur- 

*For  editions  of  this  work,  see  "List  of  Works,"  post. 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

veys.  Justice  to  the  memory  of  Thomas  Hutch- 
ins."*  He  takes  the  ground  that  Smith,  not  being 
on  the  expedition,  was  merely  the  editor;  that 
Bouquet  could  not  have  written  the  account  since 
in  many  parts  it  would  have  been  self-laudatory; 
and  that  Hutchins,  having  made  the  maps,  was 
the  officer  who  naturally  would  write  the  notes 
accompanying  them.  He  therefore  claims  that  the 
credit  for  the  information  contained  in  the  work  is 
due  to  Hutchins. 

A  letter  in  the  Bouquet  Papers,  British  Mu- 
seum, copied  in  the  Canadian  Archives,  Series  A, 
vol.  xxi.,  p.  296,  throws  some  light  on  Hutchins's 
connection  with  this  book.  From  Fort  Loudoun, 
on  April  1G,  1765,  he  writes  to  Colonel  Bouquet 
that  he  set  out  from  Fort  Pitt  on  March  29,  arriv- 
ing at  Fort  Loudoun  on  April  13;  that  he  has 
"measured  the  Road  very  exact  following  its  wind- 
ings;" and  that  he  is  busily  engaged  in  drawing 
plans  of  the  road  and  of  the  "Field  of  Battle" 
(Bushy  Run),  which  he  will  forward  in  a  few  days. 
"Your  very  friendly  &  generous  Proposal,"  he  says, 
"is  too  much  and  you'll  please  allow  me  to  assure 
you  that  if  any  profits  arises  from  the  sale  of  the 
Plan,  it  must  go  to  defray  the  expense  that  may 
attend  it.  A  Work  set  on  foot  purposely  for  my 
credit  and  advantage  leaves  me  no  room  to  Hesi- 
tate." It  thus  appears  that  the  plans  illustrating 
the  campaign  of  1763,  were  made  by  Hutchins,  at 

♦Association  of   the  Engineering  Societies,  Journal,  vol.  iii.,  pp. 
275-280. 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

Bouquet's  orders,  in  April,  170.5,  while  on  a  special 
expedition  from  Fort  Pitt  for  that  purpose. 

In  the  year  17<>u,  Hutchins  was  sent  in  com- 
pany with  Capt.  Henry  Gordon,  chief  engineer  in 
the  Western  Department  of  North  America,  and 
George  Croghan,  Deputy  Indian  agent,  on  an  ex- 
pedition down  the  Ohio  River.  This  trip  was  an 
official  investigation  of  the  territory  acquired  hy 
the  treaty  of  Paris,  17<>3,  by  which  Great  Britain 
gained  all  the  territory  of  France  east  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi River,  except  the  tract  in  which  New  Or- 
leans lies. 

"I  proceeded  to  Philadelphia  with  Ensign 
Hutchins,  assistant  engineer,"  on  the  13th  of  May, 
17<;<'>,  says  Captain  Gordon.  They  left  Philadel- 
phia on  the  23rd,  reaching  Pittsburg  on  June  14, 
where  they  were  joined  by  Mr.  Croghan.  After 
engaging  the  necessary  boats  and  battoemen  they 
embarked  on  June  18,  on  the  Ohio  River.  At  the 
present  site  of  Louisville,  Kentucky,  Hutchins  drew 
"on  the  spot,"  July  19-23,  a  plan  of  the  rapids  at 
that  point.*  At  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio,  August 
7,  they  were  joined  by  a  detachment  of  troops  from 
Fort  Chartres,  with  whom  they  ascended  the  Mis- 
sissippi River  to  that  fort  near  the  St.  Louis  of  to- 
day. They  remained  in  this  neighborhood,  repair- 
ing the  fort  and  making  reconnaissances,  from  Au- 
gust 20  until  September  18,  when  they  commenced 
the  trip  down  the  Mississippi.     They  had  reached 


*  Topographical  Description  of  Virginia,  p.  |10|,  note. 
17 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

the  Ibberville  River  on  October  10,*  and  New  Or- 
leans on  October  14.  Thence  they  proceeded 
through  Lake  Pontchartrain  to  the  sea,  and  coast- 
wise to  Pensacola,  Florida.  Here  they  embarked 
on  November  12  for  Havana,  Cuba,  arriving  on  the 
17th,  to  join  the  troops  stationed  there.  Gordon 
kept  a  journal  of  this  trip,  from  which  we  learn  of 
Hutchins's  movements.^  Hutchins  left  no  journal 
but  his  Topographical  Description  of  Virginia,  and 
his  Louisiana  and  West  Florida  consist  to  some 
extent  of  observations  made  on  this  expedition. 

The  next  record  of  Hutchins  finds  him  "At  a 
conference  held  at  Fort  Pitt,  on  Tuesday  the 
twenty-sixth  day  of  April,  1708,  with  the  chiefs 
and  principal  warriors  of  the  Six  Nations,  Dela- 
wares,  Shawanese,  Munsies  and  Mohicons,  residing 
on  the  waters  of  the  Ohio."*  "Ensign  Hutchins" 
is  mentioned  among  the  officers  present. 

From  November,  1708,  to  October,  1770,  Hutch- 
ins's base  of  operations  was  Fort  Chartres  in  the 
Illinois  country.  On  November  15,  1708,  he  wrote 
General  Haldimand,  announcing  his  arrival  at 
Fort  Chartres,  and  enclosing  a  Journal  from  Fort 
Pitt  to  the  Mouth  of  the  Q/iio.     In  the  [/car  1768.tt 

♦Hutchins,  Historical  Narrative  and  Topographical  Description 
of  Louisiana,  p.  61. 

|For  Gordon's  Journal,  see  "List  of  Works,"  post,  and  Pownal 
(Thomas),  A  Topographical  Description  of  North  America,  Appen- 
dix iv.,  pp.  2-5.  Gordon's  MS.  map  of  the  Ohio  River  is  in  the  Map 
Division,  Library  of  Congress.  It  is  reproduced  in  Hulbert  (A.  B.), 
Historic  Highways  of  America,  vol.  ix.,  between  pp.  48  4!). 

JRupp  (I.  D.),  Early  History  of  Western  Pennsylvania,  Appen- 
dix xix.,  p.  181;  also  The  Olden  Time,  vol.  i.,  p.  344. 

^Indiana  Historical  Society,  Publications,  vol.  ii.,  pp.  417-421. 
18 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

In  this  year  also  he  drew  A  sketch  of  the  Ouabache 
&  .from  Post  Vincent  to  the  Ohio,  which  is  preserved 
in  the  British  Museum.*  From  September,  17<>!t, 
to  September,  1770,  he  compiled  his  Remarks  on 
the  Country  of  the  Illinois.  September  24.,  to  Oc- 
tober 20,  1770,  he  sat  as  a  member  of  a  court  of 
inquiry  at  Fort  Chartres  to  settle  certain  matters 
of  "personal  abuse,"  complained  of  by  one  Richard 
Bacon  against  George  Morgan.^  Patrick  Kennedy, 
a  witness  before  this  court,  was  the  writer  of  the 
Journal  up  the  Illinois  River,  in  1773,  i-eprinted 
in  this  volume. 

The  army-list  for  1772  shows  that  Hutehins 
was  made  a  lieutenant  in  his  regiment  on  August 
7,  1771.  November  28  of  the  same  year  he  was  at 
Philadelphia,  from  which  place  he  addressed  a  let- 
ter to  "Robert  Lettue  Hooper  Esq."  concerning 
the  publication  of  his  map  of  the  western  country 
which  was  already  in  preparation.  His  scientific 
ability  had  undoubtedly  by  this  time  brought  him 
to  the  favorable  notice  of  the  learned  men  of  his 
day.  The  American  Philosophical  Society  at  Phil- 
adelphia was  already  the  rendezvous  of  many  such 
men.  To  this  society  was  presented  at  a  meeting 
on  December  20,  1771,  Hutchins's  An  Account  of 
the  Countrey  of  the  Illinois  which  he  had  communi- 
cated in  a  letter  to  Mr.  Ewing.* 

Early  in  1772,  at  General  Haldimand's  request, 

♦Reproduced  in  Hulbert  (A.  B.),  Historic  Highways  of  America' 
vol.  \  iii.,  p.  35. 

|Cliica<;o  Historical  Society,  Collections,  vol.  iv„  pp.  420-485. 
%F.arly  Proceedings  of  the  American  Philosophical  Society. 
19 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

Hutchins  was  transferred  to  the  southern  depart- 
ment. Until  the  year  1777,  he  was  prominently 
identified  with  all  the  important  engineering 
works  in  West  Florida.*  On  March  16,  1772,  he 
was  at  Pensacola,  where  he  was  engaged  in  the  con- 
struction of  military  barracks.*  During  this  year, 
also,  he  visited  the  Chandeleur  Islands  on  the  coast 
of  Louisiana. *  His  absence  from  Philadelphia  did 
not  prevent  the  election  to  membership  in  the 
American  Philosophical  Society  of  "Lieut.  Thomas 
Hutchins  of  the  60th.  Regiment."  This  event  took 
place  on  April  17,  1772;  tt  and  on  July  18,  1773,  he 
donated  to  the  society^/  draught  of Chester  §  Mid- 
dle rivers  in  W.  Florida.  W 

Hutchins's  extensive  travels  in  the  South,  re- 
corded in  his  published  work,  in  his  Remarks  on 
the  River  A  /nit,  and  Remarks  relating  to  the  Rivers 
Mississippi,  IbbervUle,  A  wit  §  Lakes  Maurepas  <$ 
Pontchatrain,  had  evidently  impressed  him  with 
the  wisdom  of  acquiring  lands  in  that  region. 
Accordingly  we  find  him  taking  steps  to  this  end 
by  sending  a  party  to  survey  a  tract  of  land  for 
him.  This  expedition  is  recorded  in  a  Journal  of 
a  Surveying  Party  in  Employment  of  Capt:  John- 
son, Thos:  Hutchins,  A  lex.  Macullough  and  Hall 

♦See  Brymner's  Report  on  Canadian  A  re  hives—  copies  of  Bou- 
quet and  Haldimand  Papers. 

tlllinois  State  Historical  Library,  Collections,  vol.  i.,  p.  291:  Hal- 
dimand to  Gage. 

JHutchins,  Historical  Narrative  and  Topographical  Description 
of  Louisiana,  p.  59. 

\\Early  Proceedings  of  the  American  Philosophical  Society. 

XXXIbid. 

20 


r.< 


HUTCHINS'S    COMMISSION    AS    CaPTA 
[From  the  Original  in  the  Library  of  the  Pennsylv 


-Lieutenant 

i  Historical  Society.] 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

Bay,  Esq.  26th.  July  to  17"'.  Sept.  1774.  From 
this  journal  we  learn  that  Hutchins  came  upon  the 
surveying  party  on  September  7,  1774.,  having  in 
his  charge  a  party  of  prisoners  on  his  way  from 
"Manshac,"  and  took  passage  upon  a  schooner  be- 
longing to  the  expedition.  Tracts  were  surveyed 
upon  the  rivers  Amite  and  Comite,  Hutchins's 
tract  on  the  Comite  including  two  thousand  acres.* 

The  army-list  for  177<»  gives  Hutchins  as  "Cap- 
taint-lieutenant  and  Capt.,"  and  the  date  of  his 
commission,  September  21,  1775.  Later  editions 
of  the  list  say  September  24.  Hutchins  was  then 
in  the  second  battalion  of  the  60th  or  Royal  Amer- 
ican regiment.  His  parchment  commission  bear- 
ing the  royal  seal  and  addressed  "To  Our  Trusty 
and  Wel-heloved  Thomas  Hutchins  Esqr.,"  with 
the  date  September  24,  1775,  is  preserved  in  the 
library  of  the  Pennsylvania  Historical  Society. 

In  1775,  he  was  at  Pensacola,  Florida.  In  his 
Louisiana  and  West-Florida^  he  says,  "The  town 
of  Pensacola  is  of  an  oblong  form,  and  lies  almost 
parallel  to  the  beach.  .  .  .  The  present  fort  was 
built  by  the  writer  of  this  narrative  in  1775."  His 
frankness  in  speaking  of  his  own  work  is  illustrated 
as  he  continues.  The  fort  "can  be  of  no  great  serv- 
ice towards  the  defence  of  the  place,  in  case  an 
attack  be  made  on  it,  either  by  the  natives  or  a 
civilized  enemy." 

On  November  l.'J,  177<>,  Hutchins  was  promoted 

*Cnncerning  Hutchins's  land,  see  American  State  Papers.     Pub- 
lic lands,  vol.  i„  pp.  602,  832,  885. 
TFage  11- 

21 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

to  a  captaincy.*  The  army-list  for  1777  shows  him 
to  have  been  transferred  from  the  second  to  the 
fourth  battalion  of  the  GOth  regiment,  in  which  bat- 
talion he  remained  until  his  connection  with  the 
army  was  severed.  His  name  appears  for  the  last 
time  in  the  army-list  for  1782,  when  he  was  third 
in  rank  of  the  captains  of  his  battalion.  His  con- 
nection with  the  army,  however,  had  ceased  on 
February  11,  1780,  when  he  resigned  ;t  and  his 
name  must  have  remained  in  the  list  due  to  the 
confusion  of  the  Revolution. 

Hutchins  was  in  London  on  May  8, 1777,  where, 
as  acting  engineer,  he  submitted  "An  Estimate  of 
the  Expence  it  will  take  to  finish  compleatly,  as 
well  the  Works  already  begun,  as  those  originally 
intended  to  be  made  at  Pensacola,  by  Order  of  the 
Commander  in  Chief  of  North  America."  In  the 
next  year,  November  1,  1778,  he  published  in  Lon- 
don his  A  new  Map  of  the  Western  parts  of  Vir- 
ginia, Pennsylvania,  Maryland  and  NortJi  Caro- 
lina, with  the  accompanying  Topographical  Des- 
cription, t  In  this  worktt  he  states  that  he  has 
personally  surveyed  the  whole  territory  west  of  the 
Alleghany  Mountains,  and  upon  the  rivers  Ohio 
and  Mississippi,  "during  all  the  campaigns  of  the 
last  war,  in  several  of  which  I  acted  as  an  engineer, 
and  since  in  many   reconnoitring  tours,  which  I 

*Hinsdale  in  his   The  Old  North-West,  p.  262,  erroneously  states 
that  Hutchins  was  a  Captain  when  he  was  with  Bouquet  in  1764. 
fSee  post,  p.  24. 

JFor  editions  of  this  work,  see  "List  of  Works,"  post. 
MPage  i. 

22 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

made  through  various  parts  of  the  country,  be- 
tween the  years  17t>4  and  1775." 

The  outbreak  of  the  war  between  Great  Britain 
and  the  United  Colonies  while  he  was  in  London 
brought  upon  Hutehins  the  crisis  of  his  life.  He 
had  risen  to  a  post  of  honor  in  the  British  army 
solely  through  merit.  He  had  hitherto  exerted 
himself  in  a  cause  with  which  he  sympathized. 
Now  he  was  called  upon  either  to  relinquish  the 
fruits  of  his  life's  endeavors,  or  to  accept  honors 
for  fighting  against  the  country  of  his  birth.  In 
this  exigency  he  sacrificed  himself  unfalteringly  at 
the  patriotic  shrine.  The  persecutions  to  which  he 
was  subjected  and  the  fortitude  with  which  he  bore 
them  are  related  in  the  memorial  which  he  pre- 
sented to  Benjamin  Franklin,  taking  up  the  narra- 
tive in  August,  177!>: 

*To  his  Excellency,  Benjamin  Franklin,  minister  plenipotentiary 
from  the  United  Stati  -  ol  America,  at  tin-  Court  of  France; 

The  memorial  of  Thomas  Hutehins,  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  in 
i,  and  late  a  captain  and  engineer  in  tin-  British  King's  service, 
humbly  sheweth, 

That  your  Excellency's  memorialist  was,  in  the  month  of  August 
last,  taken  into  custody  bj  virtue  of  a  warrant  (rum  Sir  John  Fielding, 
of  the  city  <>(  London,  in  which  your  memorialist  was  charged  with  high 

to  ,is,  in,  [or  ha\  ing  Conveyed  information  to,  and  corresponded  with,  the 

friends  of  the  United  States  of  America  in  France.  That  your  memorial- 
ist was  committed  to  and  kept  in  Clerkenwell  prison,  upwards  of  seven 
weeks,  loaded  with  irons,  put  among  felons,  and  treated  with  every  kind 
ol  -,  i  erity  and  insult,  and  forbidden  to  see  or  write  to  his  friends. 

That,  after  several  long  examinations  at  the  Board  of  Trade,  the 
British  ministers  thought  proper  to  discharge  him  from  prison;  and 
being  redui  edtogn  at  di>tress  by  his  pay  both  as  captain  and  engineer 
being  stopped,  and  being  also  refused  payment  of  an  account  which 
the  British  government  owed  him  (to  the  amount  of  eight  hundred  and 

*The  Works  of  Henjamin  Franklin,  edited  by  Jared  Sparks,  vol. 


viii.,  pp.  436-438. 


23 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

sixty-nine  pounds,  nineteen  shillings  sterling),  he  was  obliged  to  take 
lodgings  in  a  garret,  within  the  verge  of  the  court.  Your  memorialist 
was  offered  two  thousand  guineas  for  his  captain's  commission;  but, 
although  he  had  frequently  petitioned  to  sell  it  from  the  beginning  of 
the  war  between  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain,  he  was  as  often 
refused;  and,  about  three  weeks  before  he  was  committed  to  prison,  he 
was  offered  a  majority  in  one  of  the  new  regiments  then  raising,  which 
he  would  not  accept,  as  he  would  not  bear  arms  against  his  country- 
men. Therefore,  on  the  11th  of  this  month,  (February,)  rinding  him- 
self treated  with  contempt  by  the  British  officers,  and  despairing  of 
obtaining  liberty  to  sell  his  commission,  he  sent  his  resignation  to  Lord 
Amherst,  both  as  captain  and  engineer,  and  in  a  private  manner  with- 
drew from  Great  Britain  and  came  into  France  entirely  destitute  of 
money;  choosing  rather  to  abandon  his  commission  (though  the  whole 
of  his  fortune )  and  incur  a  loss  of  two  thousand  nine  hundred  and 
sixty-nine  pounds,  nineteen  shillings  sterling,  (exclusive  of  his  appoint- 
ment as  engineer),  than  continue  in  a  service  altogether  irksome  and 
painful  to  him.  Your  memorialist  begs  leave  further  to  represent,  that 
he  has  served  with  reputation  as  a  British  officer  more  than  twenty-two 
years,  (eighteen  whereof  lie  was  constantly  employed  as  an  engineer,) 
and  that  he  is  most  anxiously  solicitous  of  entering  into  the  army  of  the 
United  States.  For  these  considerations,  your  memorialist  humbly 
hopes  that  your  Excellency  will  be  pleased  to  recommend  his  request, 
sufferings,  and  losses  to  the  honorable  Congress  of  the  United  States, 
and  your  memorialist  as  in  duty  bound,  shall  ever  pray,  &c. 

Thomas  Hutchins. 

Franklin's  opinion  of  him  is  shown  by  the  let- 
ter in  which  he  introduces  Hutchins  to  the  Presi- 
dent of  Congress: 

Passy,  Hi  March,  1780. 
Sir; 

The  bearer  of  this,  Captain  Hutchins,  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  but 
many  years  in  the  English  service,  has  lately  escaped  from  England, 
where  he  suffered  considerably  for  his  attachment  to  the  American 
cause.  He  is  esteemed  a  good  officer  and  an  excellent  engineer,  and 
is  desirous  of  being  serviceable  to  his  country.  I  enclose  his  memorial 
to  me,  a  great  part  of  which  is  consistent  with  my  knowledge;  and  1  beg 
leave  to  recommend  him  to  the  favorable  notice  of  Congress,  when 
any  affair  occurs  in  which  his  talents  may  be  useful.  I  have  the  honor 
to  be,  &c.  B.  Franklin. 

The  friendly  relation  existing  between  Hutch- 
ins and  Franklin  is  further  shown  by  the  language 

24 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

used  by  Hutchins  in  his  Topographical  Descrip- 
tion,* where  he  says,  "I  am  obliged  to  a  worthy 
Friend,  and  Countryman,  for  the  following  just,  and 
judicious  observations.  They  were  addressed  to 
the  Earl  of  Hillsborough,  in  the  year  1770, — When 
Secretary  of  State  for  the  North-American  depart- 
ment." The  "worthy  Friend"  referred  to  is  Ben- 
jamin Franklin,  and  the  quotation  is  taken  from 
the  Observations  and  Remarks  made  by  Franklin 
in  pamphlet  form  and  appended  to  the  Report  of 
the  Lards  Commissioners  for  Trade  and  Plantations 
mi  the  petition  of  the  Honourable  Thomas  Walpole, 
Benjamin  Franklin,  John  Sargent,  and  Samuel 
Wharton,  Esquires,  and  their  Associates;  for  A 
ii  runt  of  Lands  on  the  River  Ohio,  in  North  Amer- 
ica; for  the  purpose  of  Erecting  a  new  Government. 
(London.  J.  Almon.  MDCCLXXIIi.  The  portions 
quoted  by  Hutchins  are  found  on  pages  <>(>-i>8  of 
this  pamphlet. +     The  Earl  of  Hillsborough,  who 

♦Page  [15],  note. 

fAlthough,  as  Hutchins  states,  the  observations  of  Franklin  were 
addressed  to  Hillsborough  in  1770,  they  wire  not  issued  in  pamphlet 
form  until  177J.  That  Hutchins's  quotation  is  from  the  1772  pamphlet 
is  shown  by  the  insertion  in  the  quotation  of  die  date,_1772.  (See 
Topographical  Description,  page  [16].)  The  quotation  is  not  verba- 
tim, and  that  part  commencing  with  "It  may  not,  perhaps,  be  amiss. 
to  observe,"  and  extending  to  the  end,  must  have  been  added  from 
personal  correspondence  with  Franklin.  Due  to  the  influence  of  this 
protest,  submitted  in  177",  action  was  taken  contrary  to  Hillsborough's 
recommendation,  whereupon  he  resigned.  Franklin's  pamphlet  was 
just  issuing  from  the  press,  when  he  learned  of  the  above  event.  He 
immediately  discontinued  sale  of  the  pamphlet  when  only  five  I 
had  been  sold.  One  of  these  copies  is  in  the  Library  of  Congress.  It 
is  reprinted  in  Almon  (John),  biographical,  Literary,  and  Political 
Pamphlets  (London,  1797);  and  in  Sparks's  edition  of  the  works  of 
Franklin.  The  same  quotation,  evidently  copied  from  Hutchins,  ap- 
pears in  Filson  (  |ohn  ) ,  The  Dis,  ovet  i ,  Settlement  and  Present  State 
of  Kentucky  (London,  1793),  pp.  17-18. 
25 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

wrote  this  report  on  the  famous  "Walpole  Grant," 
was  bitterly  opposed  to  the  scheme  and  to  its  advo- 
cates. Possibly,  for  this  reason,  Hutchins,  at  that 
time  a  British  officer,  refrained  from  using  Frank- 
lin's name.  But  the  quotation  was  easily  recog- 
nizable, and  undoubtedly  helped  to  direct  suspicion 
toward  him,  and  to  intensify  the  antagonism  that 
had  been  aroused. 

Hutchins  was  still  in  France  in  August,  1780. 
This  appears  from  the  fact  that  in  that  month  he 
attested  the  correctness  of  copies  of  nineteen  letters 
at  L'Orient.*  He  doubtless  was  employed  by 
Franklin  up  to  this  time  in  the  service  of  the 
United  States,  and  was  in  a  position  to  supply  most 
valuable  information.  "He  then  sailed  from 
l'Orient  to  Charleston,  where  he  joined  the  south- 
ern army  under  general  Green,"  says  the  New 
York  Daily  Gazetted  Green  took  command  of 
the  southern  department,  succeeding  Gates,  on  De- 
cember 3,  1780,  so  that  it  must  have  been  about 
this  time  that  Hutchins  reached  Charleston. 
Whether  he  was  connected  with  the  American 
army  prior  to  presenting  his  letter  of  introduction 
to  Congress,  or  on  what  date  this  event  took  place 
does  not  appear;  but  on  May  4,  1781,  Congress 
"Eesolved,  That  Thomas  Hutchins  be  appointed 
geographer  to  the  southern  army,  with  the  same 
pay  and  emoluments  as  are  allowed  to  the  geog- 


*Lincoln  (C.  H.),A  Calendar  of  John  Paul  Jones  Manuscripts 
in  the  Library  of  Congress. 

fVol.  i.,  p.  490,  Wednesday,  May  20,  1789. 
26 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

rapher  of  the  main  army."*  On  July  11,  1781, 
"A  letter  of  this  day  from  Thomas  Hutchins  was 
read,  signifying  his  acceptance  of  the  office  of 
geographer  to  the  southern  army,"  and  it  was  "Re- 
solved, That  the  geographer  to  the  main  army, 
and  also  the  geographer  to  the  southern  army,  he 
stiled  'geographer  to  the  United  States  of  America,' 
and  commissioned  and  considered  as  such."t  The 
letter  of  acceptance  referred  to  was  written  in  Phil- 
adelphia. In  this  letter,  Hutchins  said  that  he  had 
hoped  his  title  might  read  "Geographer  to  the 
United  States,"  instead  of  "to  the  southern  army." 
His  suggestion  was  therefore  immediately  acted 
upon.  And  upon  July  19,  writing  at  Philadel- 
phia, he  signs  himself  "Geographer  United  States." 
The  emoluments  of  this  office  were  exceedingly 
modest.  The  pay  for  the  geographer  to  the  main 
army,  and  for  the  geographer  to  the  southern  army 
were  identical.  The  resolve  of  Congress  of  No- 
vember 12,  17K2,  determined  "That  the  geog- 
rapher to  the  main  army,  and  the  geographer  to 
the  southern  department,  he  each  of  them  allowed 
sixty  dollars  per  month,  three  rations  per  day,  for- 
age for  two  saddle  horses,  one  two  horse  covered 
wagon,  six  dollars  and  two  thirds  of  a  dollar  per 
month  for  a  servant,  for  whom  they  shall  be  en- 
titled to  draw  one  ration  per  day.  and  the  clothing 
allowed  to  a  private  soldier."+ 

^Journals  of  Congress,  vol.  vii.,  p,  \'i. 
■\Ibiii.,  pp.  145-146. 
\Id.,  vol.  viii.,  p.  10. 

27 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

No  more  meritorious  appointment  than  this  has 
ever  been  made  in  the  annals  of  American  history. 
It  did  not  err  on  the  side  of  generosity,  was  a  re- 
ward for  unexcelled  patriotism,  and  placed  in  a 
position  which  was  to  become  of  the  first  impor- 
tance, a  man  whose  scientific  ability  was  unques- 
tioned. Hutchins  is  not  the  only  person  who  bore 
the  title  "Geographer  to  the  United  States;"  for 
from  December,  1780,  to  November,  1783,  Simeon 
De  Witt  was  geographer  to  the  main  army,  and 
his  title  was  changed  with  that  of  Hutchins.  But 
De  Witt  became  surveyor-general  of  New  York  in 

1784,  leaving  Hutchins  to  support  the  title.  Con- 
gress thereafter  refers  to  Hutchins  as  the  geog- 
rapher; and  in  its  resolve  of  June  10,  1785,*  on 
the  method  of  settling  Hutchins's  accounts,  it 
changes  his  salary  from  "four  dollars  and  four 
rations  a  day"  to  "four  dollars  a  day"  commencing 
on  November  3,  1783,  showing  that  the  military 
element  was  considered  as  having  been  eliminated 
at  that  time.^ 

Of  Hutchins's  official  acts  as  geographer  prior 
to  the  year  1783,  practically  no  record  remains. 
The  field  of  his  labors  was  wide,  and  not  confined 
to  the  perfunctory  performance  of  duty.  His  early 
travels  in  Pennsylvania,  which  had  now  become  the 
main  thoroughfare  to  the  western  country,  had  to 
some  extent  identified  him  with  that  state.     He 

*Joitrnals  of  Congress,  vol.  x.,  p.  208. 

tJustin  Winsor  in  his  Westward  Movement,  p.  266,  erroneously 
states  that  "Congress  had  in  connection  with  the  Ordinance  of  May  20, 

1785,  created  the  office  of  Geographer  of 'the  United  States." 

28 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 


bore  a  considerable  part  in  tbe  competition  between 
Virginia  and  Pennsylvania  for  the  best  highway  to 
the  West.  His  maps,  drawn  while  on  the  Bouquet 
expedition,  definitely  marked  one  military  route. 
He  was  now  called  upon  in  time  of  peace  to  con- 
tinue the  work  in  which  he  had  been  engaged  un- 
der the  stress  of  war. 

In  1783,  the  General  Assembly  of  Pennsylvania 
took  up  the  question  of  improving  communications 
within  the  state.  On  September  15,  178."},*  a  re- 
solve was  passed,  "First, — To  view  the  different 
roads  leading  from  Susquehanna  to  Reading  and 
Philadelphia,  and  point  out  the  most  practical 
mode  of  improving  and  repairing  the  same,  and  to 
consider  the  most  probable  way  of  opening  a  com- 
munication between  the  rivers  Susquehanna  and 
Schuylkill;  Second, — To  receive  the  proposals  of 
such  person  or  persons  as  may  offer  lands  to  the 
public  for  the  purpose  of  building  a  town  or  towns 
on  the  east  bank  of  the  Susquehanna;  Third, — To 
examine  the  Susquehanna;  and.  Fourth, — To  view 
the  Delaware  River."  September  20,  the  Assem- 
bly elected  by  ballot  "for  performing  the  duties 
mentioned  in  the  first  and  second  of  the  aforesaid 
resolutions,"  David  Rittenhouse,  Thomas  Hutch- 
ins,  and  Nathan  Sellers.1  For  their  labors  the 
commissioners  jointly  received  the  sum  of  "ninety- 
five  pounds,  one  shilling  and  one  penny  specie."* 

*Pennsylvania  Archives,  vol.  x.,  pp.  Iii8-129. 
ilbitL,  pp.  129-180. 

\Minutes  of  the  Supreme  Executive  Council  of  Pennsylvania, 
vol.  xiii.,  p.  442. 

29 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

This  important  work,  containing  eminent  pos- 
sibilities for  American  development,  was  doubtless 
pi-osecuted  in  such  time  as  the  duties  of  Hutehins's 
office  would  allow.  Meanwhile,  Congress  had  en- 
tered upon  the  perplexing  question  of  fixing  upon 
a  city  or  cities  in  which  to  erect  buildings  for  the 
use  of  Congress.  A  situation  near  the  falls  of  the 
Delaware  being  urged,  it  was  resolved,*  on  Octo- 
ber 7,  1783,  "That  a  committee  of  five  be  ap- 
pointed to  repair  to  the  falls  of  Delaware,  to  view 
the  situation  of  the  country  in  its  neighborhood, 
and  report  a  proper  district"  for  erecting  buildings. 
Hutchins,  in  his  capacity  of  geographer,  was  directed 
by  this  commission  to  make  a  survey  of  the  proposed 
site.  In  a  letter  dated  Annapolis,  December  26, 
1783,  referring  to  their  commands,  he  submits  to 
the  "Hon.'le  Commissioners  for  viewing  the  ground 
near  to  Trenton  for  a  Federal  town,"  a  survey  of  the 
"ground  above  and  below  the  Falls  of  Delaware." 

On  April  16,  1784,  Hutchins  was  in  Philadel- 
phia, where  he  presented  to  Congress  forty  pamph- 
lets that  he  had  collected.  His  presence  there  is 
probably  accounted  for  by  the  publication  of  his 
book  entitled.  An  Historical,  Narrative  and  To- 
pographical Description  of  Louisiana  and  Wiest- 
FloridaA  In  the  preface  to  this  work  he  says, 
"Several  years  residence  in  the  Province  of  West- 
Florida,  during  which  I  entered  into  a  minute  ex- 
amination of  its  coasts,  harbours,  lakes,  and  rivers, 

*  Journals  of  Congress,  vol.  viii.,  p.  424. 
|See  "List  of  Works,"  post. 

30 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 


having  made  me  perfectly  acquainted  with  their 
situation,  bearings,  soundings,  and  every  particular 
requisite  to  be  known  by  Navigators,  for  their  ben- 
efit I  am  induced  to  make  my  observations  public." 
This  declaration  is  sustained  by  the  immense 
amount  of  information  contained  in  the  book.  It 
succinctly  states  the  history  of  the  territory,  nar- 
rates its  possibilities,  and  gives  directions  for  its 
commercial  conquest.  Hutchins  points  out  very 
clearly  the  importance  of  controlling  the  naviga- 
tion of  the  Mississippi.  "Is  it  not  amazing,"  says 
he,  "true  as  it  is,  that  few  amongst  us  know  this  to 
be  the  key  to  the  northern  part  of  the  western  con- 
tinent? It  is  the  only  channel  through  which  that 
extensive  region,  bathed  by  its  waters,  and  enriched 
by  the  many  streams  it  receives,  communicates 
with  the  sea."* 

Recognition  of  Hutchins's  scientific  ability  had 
come  on  September  11,  17H:$,  in  his  appointment 
as  one  of  the  commissioners  to  run  the  western  end 
of  the  boundary  line  between  Virginia  and  Penn- 
sylvania.^ This  was  the  completion  of  the  historic 
Mason  and  Dixon's  line.  The  great  difficulty  was 
to  fix,  by  astronomical  determinations,  its  western 
end.  To  do  this,  some  of  the  most  brilliant  scien- 
tists of  the  time  were  employed.  On  the  part  of 
Virginia  they  were  the  Right  Reverend  James 
Madison,  Bishop  of  Virginia;  Reverend  Robert 
Andrews,  John  Page,  and  Andrew  Ellicott  of  Mary- 

*Page  23. 

^Minutesoi  the  Supreme  Executive  Council  of  Pennsylvania,  vol.  xiii 
31 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

land.  On  the  part  of  Pennsylvania  they  were  the 
Reverend  John  Ewing,  Provost  of  the  University  of 
Philadelphia;  David  Rittenhouse,  Treasurer  of  the 
state;  John  Lukens,  Surveyor-General  of  the  state; 
and  Thomas  Hutchins.  "An  anxious  Desire,"  they 
say,  "to  gratify  the  astronomical  World  in  the  per- 
formance of  a  problem  which  has  never  yet  been 
attempted  in  any  country,  by  a  Precision  and  Ac- 
curacy that  would  do  no  Dishonor  to  our  Charac- 
ters, while  it  prevents  the  State  of  Pennsylvania 
from  the  Chance  of  Losing  many  hundred  Thous- 
ands of  Acres,  secured  to  it  by  our  agreement  of 
Baltimore,  has  induced  us  to  suffer  our  Names  to 
be  mentioned  in  the  accomplishment  of  the  Work."" 
The  undertaking  was  not  commenced  until 
1784.  On  May  29  of  that  year  an  advance  of  £100 
each  was  made  to  Ewing  and  Hutchins  by  the 
Pennsylvania  Council,  preparatory  to  their  leaving 
Philadelphia. +  Hutchins  and  Ewing  set  out  for  the 
southwestern  corner  of  Pennsylvania  to  make  as- 
tronomical observations,  arriving  there  after  much 
difficulty  about  the  middle  of  July.  They  con- 
cluded their  observations  on  September  20.  Mean- 
while, Rittenhouse  and  Lukens  had  completed  a 
like  task  at  Wilmington.  The  commissioners  then 
came  together,  compared  observations,  and  jointly 
ran  the  southern  boundary  of  Pennsylvania.  They 
finished  it  on  November  18,  1784,  at  which  date 
they  were  in  Washington  County,  Pennsylvania, 

*  Pennsylvania  Archii'es,  vol.  x.,  p.  236. 
\Ibid.,  p.  269. 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

where  their  report  was  written.  They  agreed  to 
meet  at  the  southwestern  corner  of  Pennsylvania 
on  May  1<>,  1785,  to  finish  their  task  by  running 
the  western  boundary  line  of  Pennsylvania.* 

Hutchins  had  reached  Philadelphia  by  Decem- 
ber 15,  1784,  for  Jacob  Hiltzheimer  in  his  diary 
under  that  date  says,  "Thos.  Hutchins,  just  from 
the  backwoods,  who  has  been  running  the  line  be- 
tween Virginia  and  Pennsylvania,  drank  tea  with 
us."+  He  made  his  report  to  Congress  on  March 
7,  1785,  writing  in  New  York.  For  his  services  in 
connection  with  this  boundary  line  up  to  Decem- 
ber 2.'5,  1784,  Hutchins  received  as  compensation 
,'{(>5  pounds,  15  shillings.?  In  preparation  for  the 
continuation  of  this  survey,  Hutchins  being  ac- 
countable to  Congress  for  his  time,  writes  from 
New  York  on  April  21,  1785,  informing  Congress 
through  its  President,  Richard  Henry  Lee,  that 
the  executive  of  Pennsylvania  has  asked  him  to 
run  a  boundary  line  "from  the  termination  of  the 
southern  boundary  of  Pennsylvania  as  far  as  the 
River  Ohio,  which  is  to  be  the  line  of  Division  be- 
tween  the  citizens  of  Pennsylvania  and  those  of 
Virginia,"  and  asks  permission  to  accept.  Presi- 
dent Dickinson  had  written  Hutchins  on  April  9, 
1785, XX  and  Congress  on  April  11, 8t  concerning  the 

*  Pennsylvania  Archives,  vol.  x.,  pp.  373-378. 

^Pennsylvania  MagaSine  of  History  and  Biography, vo\.  xvi.,p.  K>'.>. 

IMinutes  of  the  Supreme  Executive  Council  of  Pennsylvania,!  ><  t. 

20,  1784,  and  Jan.  IT,  1785. 

^Pennsylvania  Archives,  vol.  x.,  p.  438. 
t&Jiid.,  p.  440. 

S3 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

resumption  of  the  work.  Here,  however,  Hutch- 
ins's  connection  with  this  survey  seems  to  have 
ceased.  Ewing  had  resigned  on  March  26,  1785. 
Instructions  for  the  survey  of  July  2!),  1785,*  do  not 
name  Hutchins  as  a  commissioner,  and  the  reports 
of  the  commissioners  of  August  23,  1785,+  when 
they  had  reached  the  Ohio,  and  of  October  4, 1786,1 
when  the  line  was  completed,  are  not  signed  by 
Hutchins.  He  was  evidently  prevented  from  run- 
ning this  line  by  the  events  of  the  month  of  May, 
1785,  which  marked  out  the  work  which  was  chiefly 
to  occupy  the  remainder  of  his  life.  The  events  of 
this  month  were  largely  brought  about  by  the  Ohio 
Company  of  Associates  organized  for  the  settlement 
of  the  western  territory. 

In  the  year  1783,  General  Rufus  Putnam  be- 
came interested  in  a  plan,  proposed  by  Colonel 
Timothy  Pickering,  for  creating  a  new  state  west 
of  the  Ohio  River.  In  June  of  that  year  he  for- 
warded to  the  President  of  Congress,  through  Gen- 
eral Washington,  who  recommended  it,  a  petition 
signed  by  two  hundred  and  eighty-eight  officers  of 
the  army  asking  that  their  bounty  lands  be  located 
in  the  present  state  of  Ohio,  east  of  the  Scioto 
River.  Congress  took  no  action  on  this  petition. 
A  cession  to  Congress  of  practically  the  whole 
western  territory  was  made  by  the  states  holding 
claims  upon  it,  an  ordinance  for  its  government 

*  Pennsylvania  Archives,  vol.  x.,  p.  489. 
■\Ibid.,  p.  506. 
%Id„  vol.  xi.,  p.  69. 

34 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

being  drawn  up  by  Thomas  Jefferson  and  adopted 
by  Congress  on  April  •_':?.  1784.  The  Ordinance  of 
May  20,  17H.5.  provided  a  method  of  survey  and 
sale  of  this  land.  Upon  Hutchins,  by  virtue  of  his 
office  of  geographer,  fell  the  duty  of  directing  this 
work. 

Hazard,  writing  to  Belknap  on  June  13,  17N0. 
relates  the  following  anecdote  concerning  Huteh- 
ins's  early  connection  with  this  survey.  "The  Ohio 
Company  purchased  their  tract  on  condition  of  pay- 
ing .500.000  dollars  at  the  time  of  signing  the  con- 
tract, and  the  remaining  500,000  upon  a  return  of 
the  survey  being  made.  The  payments  were  to  be 
made  in  certificates,  which,  you  know,  bear  an  in- 
terest of  6  per  cent.  Of  course  the  Ohio  Company 
drew  an  interest  of  6  per  cent  on  .500.000  dollars  till 
the  return  of  survey  is  made.  Captain  Hutchins  at- 
tended to  this,  and  intimated  it  to  Congress,  as  a 
reason  why  he  should  be  sent,  without  delay,  to 
make  that  survey.  I  mention  this  as  a  proof  of 
fidelity  in  office.  He  went  to  do  the  business,  and 
died  before  it  was  accomplished."*  Hutchins's  sur- 
vey paved  the  way  for  the  sale  of  land  to  this  com- 
pany, which  made  the  first  purchase  after  the  In- 
dian titles  had  been  extinguished.  The  contract 
had  not  been  concluded  until  November  27,  1787, 
so  that  the  commencement  of  Hutchins's  survey 
was  a  prerequisite  to  the  contract. 

The  land  actually  acquired  was  not  included  in 
the  tract  surveyed  by  Hutchins.     It  touched  the 

♦Massachusetts  Historical  Society,  Collections,  ser.  5,  vol.  iii.,  p.  139. 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

"seven  ranges"  only  at  their  southwestern  extrem- 
ity; but  if  Hutch  ins  had  lived  to  complete  the  sur- 
vey he  would  have  covered  this  region. 

Before  completing  the  contract,  Doctor  Cutler, 
agent  for  the  company,  sought  the  advice  of  Hutch- 
ins.  On  July  7,  1787,  writing  from  New  York, 
where  he  was  negotiating  with  Congress,  Cutler 
says,  "Paid  my  respects  this  morning  to  Dr.  Hol- 
ton,  and  several  other  gentlemen.  Was  introduced 
by  Dr.  Ewing  and  Mr.  Rittenhouse  to  Mr.  Hutch- 
ins,  geographer  to  the  United  States.  Consulted 
him  where  to  make  our  location."*  And  on  July 
9,  "Waited  this  morning  very  early  on  Mr.  Hutch- 
ins.  He  gave  me  the  fullest  information  on  the 
western  country,  from  Pennsylvania  to  the  Illinois, 
and  advised  me,  by  all  means,  to  make  our  loca- 
tion on  the  Muskingum,  which  was  decidedly,  in 
his  opinion,  the  best  part  of  the  whole  of  the  west- 
ern country. "t  Hildreth*  remarks  concerning  this 
advice,  "Had  the  counsel  of  Mr.  Hutchins  been 
strictly  followed,  and  the  purchase  selected  from 
lands  on  the  Muskingum  above  the  mouth  of  Lik- 
ing Creek,  at  the  forks  of  the  Muskingum,  a  coun- 
try with  which  Mr.  Hutchins  was  familiar  having 
visited  that  region  in  1764,  as  engineer  for  the  army 
of  General  Bouquet,  the  selection  would  have  been 
far  superior  to  that  at  the  mouth,  and  along  the 
margin  of  the  Ohio."     Further  than  this,  it  is  plain 

*Ufe,  Journals  and  Correspondence  of  Rev.  Manasseh  Cutler, 
LL.  D.,  p.  230. 

■\Ibid.,  pp.  236-238. 
\Pioneer  History,  pp.  209-210. 
36 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

that  Hutchins  was  a  man  whose  knowledge  was 
valuable  to  the  Ohio  company  from  its  inception; 
for  Col.  Timothy  Pickering  writing  to  Mr.  Hodg- 
don,  on  April  14,  178:5,  says,  "General  Putnam  is 
warmly  engaged  in  the  new-planned  settlement  on 
the  Ohio.  He  is  very  desirous  of  getting  Hutch- 
ins' map.  Mr.  Aitken  had  them  to  sell.  If  pos- 
sible, pray,  forward  me  one."* 

Among  the  books  intended  to  induce  settle- 
ment in  the  Ohio  country  was  one  by  Doctor  Cut- 
ler, entitled.  An  explanation  of  the  map  which  dc- 
lineates  that  purl  of  the  Federal  hands  compre- 
hended between  Pennsylvania  West  Line,  t/ie  rivers 
Ohio  and  Scioto,  and  Lake  I'hic.  Salem,  17H7.+ 
This  book  was  not  issued  until  Hutchins's  approval 
had  been  obtained.  It  is  printed  on  the  second 
page  of  the  book,  bearing  the  date,  "New  York, 
28th  October.  1787."  In  this  approval  Hutchins 
states  that  he  has  resided  "upwards  of  ten  years" 
in  the  western  country. 

The  parts  of  the  famous  ordinance  of  May  '20, 
1785,   which   are    interesting  for  this  sketch,  are 

quoted  below: 

{An  Ordinav  i  foi  ascertaining  the  mode  oi  disposing  of  lands 
in  the  Western  Territory. 

Be  it  ordained  by  the  United  States  in  Congress  assembled,  That 
the  territory  ceded  by  individual  states  to  the  United  States,  which  has 
been  purchased  of  the  Indian  inhabitants,  shall  be  disposed  of  in  the 
following  manner: — 

*Ltfe,  Journals  and  Correspondence  of  Rev.  Manasseh  Cutler, 
1. 1..  />.,  p.  149. 

tA  Copy  of  the  map  referred  to  is  in  the  Map  Division,  Library  of 
Congress. 

\Journah  of  Congress,  vol.  x.,  p.  167. 
37 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 


A  survey  ofrrom  each  state  shall  be  appointed  by  Congress  or  a 
Committee  of  the  States,  who  shall  take  an  oath  for  the  faithful  dis- 
charge of  his  duty,  before  the  geographer  of  the  United  States,  who  is 
hereby  empowered  and  directed  to  administer  the  same 

The  geographer,  under  whose  direction  the  surveyors  shall  act, 
shall  occasionally  form  such  regulations  for  their  conduct,  as  he  shall 
deem  necessary;  and  shall  have  authority  to  suspend  them  for  miscon- 
duct in  office,  and  shall  make  report  of  the  same  to  Congress  or  to  the 
Committee  of  the  States;  and  he  shall  make  report  in  case  of  sickness, 
death,  or  resignation  of  any  surveyor. 

The  surveyors,  as  they  are  respectively  qualified,  shall  proceed  to  di- 
vide the  said  territory  into  townships  of  six  miles  square,  by  lines  running 
due  north  and  south,  and  others  crossing  these  at  right  angles,  asnear  as 
may  be,  unless  where  the  boundaries  of  the  late  Indian  purchases  may 
render  the  same  impracticable,  and  then  they  shall  depart,  from  this  rule 
no  farther  than  such  particular  circumstances  may  require.     .      .      . 

The  first  line  running  north  and  south  as  aforesaid,  shall  begin  on 
the  river  Ohio,  at  a  point  that  shall  be  found  to  be  due  north  from  the 
western  termination  of  a  line  which  has  been  run  as  the  southern  boun- 
dary of  the  state  of  Pennsylvania:  and  the  first  line  running  east  and 
west,  shall  begin  at  the  same  point,  and  shall  extend  throughout  the 
whole  territory;  provided  that  nothing  herein  shall  be  construed,  as  fix- 
ing the  western  boundary  of  the  state  of  Pennsylvania.  The  geog- 
rapher shall  designate  the  townships  or  fractional  parts  of  townships, 
by  numbers  progressively  from  south  to  north;  always  beginning  each 
range  with  No.  1;  and  the  ranges  shall  be  distinguished  by  their  pro- 
gressive numbers  to  the  westward.  The  first  range  extending  from 
the  Ohio  to  the  lake  Erie,  being  marked  No.  1.  The  geographer  shall 
personally  attend  to  the  running  of  the  first  east  and  west  line;  and 
shall  take  the  latitude  of  the  extremes  of  the  first  north  and  south  line, 

anil  ol  the  mouths  of  the   principal   rivers The  plats  of 

the  townships  respectively,  shall  be  marked  by  sub-divisions  into  lots 
of  one  mile  square,  or  640  acres,  in  the  same  direction  as  the  external 
lines,  and  numbered  from  1  to  36;  always  beginning  the  succeeding 
range  of  the  lots  with  the  number  next  to  that  with  which  the  preced- 
ing one  concluded As  soon  as  seven  ranges  of  townships 

and  fractional  parts  of  townships,  in  the  direction  from  south  to  north, 
shall  have  been  surveyed,  the  geographer  shall  transmit  plats  thereof 
to  the  board  of  treasury,  who  shall  record  the  same  with  the  report  in 
well  bound  books  to  be  kept  for  that  purpose.  And  the  geographer 
shall  make  similar  returns  from  time  to  time  of  every  seven  ranges  as 

they  may  be  surveyed 

Done  by  the  United  States  in  Congress  assembled,  the  twentieth 
38 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

day  of  May,  in  the  year  of  >>ur  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and 
eighty-five,  and  of  our  sovereignty  and  independence  the  ninth.* 

Richard  h.  Lee,  P. 
Charles  Thomson,  Sec'y. 

This  ordinance  has  been  quoted  at  length,  first, 
because  it  is  an  official  statement  of  the  present 
land  system  of  the  United  States,  having  been 
changed  only  in  the  method  of  marking;  and,  sec- 
ond, because  it  shows  how  intimately  Hutchins 
was  connected  with  this  great  event.  He  is  given 
entire  charge  of  the  survey;  and  his  influence  is 
seen  many  times  in  the  ordinance.  The  fixed  point 
due  north  from  which  the  survey  was  to  commence, 
Hutchins  had  assisted  in  determining,  in  1784,  and 
being  at  the  seat  of  government  when  the  ordi- 
nance was  framed,  he  doubtless  was  consulted  con- 
cerning this  detail.  He  is  instructed  personally  to 
run  the  east  and  west  line  upon  which  the  survey 
of  the  whole  territory  depended. 

As  to  the  origin  of  the  system  of  surveying  set 
forth  in  this  ordinance  there  has  been  much  discus- 
sion. The  credit  for  inventing  it  has  been  vari- 
ously given  to  Gen.  \V.  H.  Harrison,1  Gen.  Ftufus 
Putnam.*  first  surveyor-general,  17(.>7-180.'J;  Jared 
Mansfield,^  surveyor-general,  180:$-1812,  and  Ed- 
ward Tiffin,^  surveyor-general,  1815-1825.     Col- 

*An  ordinance  supplementary  to  the  above  was;  passed  mi  July  9, 
1788,  removing  the  element  "f  "states  rights"  in  connection  with  the 
west(  in  laud-.    Journals  of  Congress,  vol.  xiii.,  pp.  62-63. 

\Ohio  Institut  '  i  <logists  and  Mining  Engineers.  Meeting  in 
1883.     (  R(  trim, ,   from  \\  liutlesey.  - 

XJournaloi  tin  Assoi  iation  '•[  Engineering  Societies,  vol.  ii..  Nos. 
9-10,  pp   282  287. 

({Donaldson  (T.)  Public  Domain,  p.  170. 

XXX  Toledo  Science  Monthly.     (  November,  1875.  i 
39 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

onel  Whittlesey  gives  the  entire  credit  to  Thomas 
Hutchins.*  His  argument  hangs  on  the  author- 
ship of  the  Historical  Account  of  Bouquet's  Expe- 
dition against  the  Ohio  Indians,  1764,  which  has 
already  been  considered. t  The  appendix  to  this 
work  contains  a  scheme  of  colonization  and  mili- 
tary defense  against  the  Indians  which  has  the 
rudiments  of  the  system  adopted  in  the  Ordinance 
of  May  20,  1785.  It  contains  the  first  announce- 
ment of  an  allotment  in  squares  of  a  mile  on  each 
side.  If  Hutchins  wrote  this  appendix,  the  evidence 
is  strong,  though  not  conclusive,  that  he  was  the 
inventor  of  the  system.  Unquestionably,  he  was 
the  first  person  to  put  this  system  into  practice, 
and  he  early  pointed  out  to  Congress  some  of  its 
defects. I  For  applying  and  improving  it  he  is  en- 
titled to  the  credit  which  has  been  tardily  accorded 
him.  There  is  evidence,  however,  that  the  idea  of 
townships  to  be  surveyed  before  opened  for  settle- 
ment originated  in  New  England.  "As  early  as 
June  17,  1732,  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts 
granted  six  miles  square  for  a  township  to  be  laid 
out  in  a  regular  form  by  a  surveyor  and  chairman 
under  oath."++  In  the  adoption  of  the  Ordinance 
of  May  20,  1785,  the  "New  England  idea"  tri- 
umphed over  the  "Virginia  idea"  of  indiscriminate 
settlement  favored  by  Washington. 

*Jourjial  of   the   Association   of    Engineering  Societies,  vol.  iii., 
No.  11,  pp.  L'75-280. 

tSee  a>itt\  p.  15,  16. 
{See  f>ost,  p.  42. 

\%Ohio  Arch&ological  and  Historical  Quarterly,  vol.  iii.,  p.  110. 
40 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

Continuing  the  necessary  preliminaries  to  the 
survey,  on  May  '27.  1785,  Congress  "Resolved,  That 
the  geographer  of  the  United  States  be  continued 
in  office  for  a  term  not  exceeding  three  years;  and 
that  he  be  allowed  during  his  continuance  in  office, 
six  dollars  per  day,  for  his  services  and  expenses."* 
On  the  same  day  the  surveyors  from  the  various 
states  were  elected.  On  June  1),  the  sum  of  seven 
hundred  dollars  was  ordered  advanced  to  Hutchins 
to  apply  on  his  salary,  and  the  sum  of  six  thousand 
dollars  to  be  used  by  him  in  the  prosecution  of  the 
survey. +  On  June  10  it  was  "Resolved,  That  in 
settling  the  accounts  of  Mr.  Thomas  Hutchins,  ge- 
ographer to  the  United  States,  he  be  allowed  four 
dollars  and  four  rations  a  day,  from  the  time  of  his 
accepting  his  commission,  to  the  .'3d  day  of  Novem- 
ber, 178.'},  and  that  he  be  allowed  four  dollars  a  day 
from  that  period  to  the  27th  day  of  May,  178.5.  de- 
ducting therefrom  the  time  he  was  employed  and 
paid  by  the  state  of  Pennsylvania. "1  And  on  June 
30,  Hutchins  was  empowered  "to  employ  three  or 
four  Indians  to  accompany  him"  in  the  prosecution 
of  the  survey. ++ 

Hutchins  lost  no  time  in  setting  about  his  ap- 
pointed work.  On  September  15,  1785,  he  writes 
to  the  President  of  Congress  that  he  reached  Pitts- 
burg on  September  .'1,  and  there  met  the  surveyors 
from  Massachusetts.  New  York.  Xew  Jersey.  Mary- 

*Journals  of  Congress,  vol.  \.,  \>.  185, 
t //</</.,  pp.  207  208 
\lbid.,  p.  208. 
XXIbid.,  p.  221. 

41 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

land,  and  Virginia.  He  states  that  his  departure 
to  the  westward  from  Pittsburg  had  been  delayed 
by  the  uncertain  state  of  the  Indians  who  seemed 
likely  to  disregard  the  treaties  that  had  been  signed. 
In  the  postscript  to  this  letter,  he  points  out  a  de- 
fect in  the  Ordinance  of  1785.     He  says: 

By  the  Ordinance  of  Congress  I  am  commanded  to  lay  off  each 
Township  six  miles  square,  by  Lines  running  due  North  &  South,  and 
others  crossing  these  at  right  angles  as  near  as  may  be;  Permit  me  to 
observe  that  as  we  approach  the  Pole  the  meridians  have  a  gradual 
inclination  towards  each  other  until  they  terminate  in  a  Point,  there- 
fore six  miles  square  cannot  be  comprehended  within  the  Meridians, 
and  it  will  be  impossible  for  each  Township  to  contain  23,040  acres  as 
intended  by  Congress  without  adding  in  Latitude  what  may  be  want- 
ing in  Longitude. 

Although  the  assurances  from  the  Indian  chiefs 
were  unsatisfactory,  he  set  out  from  Pittsburg  on 
September  22,  but  was  obliged  to  return  on  Octo- 
ber 23,  having  been  advised  by  the  Indians  not  to 
attempt  the  survey.  He  left  Pittsburg  on  Novem- 
ber 1  and  was  in  New  York  by  November  24, 1785. 

While  he  was  in  New  York,  the  following  ac- 
tion of  Congress  was  taken:  "Friday  December 
2,  1785.  Pursuant  to  the  resolution  of  the  29th 
September  last,  Congress  proceeded  to  the  appoint- 
ment of  three  commissioners  for  running  a  line  of 
jurisdiction  between  the  states  of  Massachusetts 
and  New- York,  conformable  to  the  laws  of  the  said 
states;  and  the  ballots  being  taken,  Mr.  Thomas 
Hutchins,  Mr.  John  Ewing,  and  Mr.  David  Ritten- 
house,  were  elected  and  appointed."*  Hutchins 
accepted  this  appointment  in  a  letter  written  at 

*Journals  of  Congress,  vol.  xi.,  p.  10. 
42 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 


New  York,  December  12,  1785;  but  the  line  was 
not  run  until  the  year  1787  during  a  respite  from 
his  work  on  the  Ohio  survey.* 

On  December  27.  1785,  he  submitted  to  Con- 
gress, "A  brief  account  of  the  soil  and  timber  in 
that  part  of  the  Western  Territory  through  which 
an  east  and  West  line  has  been  surveyed — agree- 
able to  an  ordinance  of  Congress  of  the  20"'.  of 
May,  1785.  Beginning  on  the  North  bank  of  the 
Ohio  River  at  a  point  due  North  from  the  Western 
termination  of  a  line  which  has  been  run  as  the 
southern  boundary  of  the  state  of  Pennsylvania." 
The  plan  accompanying  this  account  "was  copied 
from  the  original  by  Mr.  Wm.  Morris,  surveyor 
appt.  by  Congress  from  New  York."  From  the 
above  it  may  be  observed  how  far  the  survey  had 
been  pushed  in  the  one  month  during  which  Hutch- 
ins  had  been  at  work. 

During  the  months  January  to  May,  178(5,  he 
was  engaged  in  preparing  for  his  second  surveying 
expedition.  On  January  "28,  however,  he  read  be- 
fore the  American  Philosophical  Society  at  Phila- 
delphia his  Description  of  a  remarkable  roc/,-  and 
Cascade,  near  tlie  western  side  of  the  Youghwgeny 
liner,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  Crawford's  ferry, 
and  about  twelve  miles  from  Union-Town,  in  Fay- 
ette count//,  in  the  stale  of  Pennsylvania.^ 

The  time  for   Hutchins's  return  to  the  Ohio 

*See  post,  p.  4(i. 

\Early  Pro,  eedings  of  the  Amei  it  an  Philosophit  at  Society  ;  and 
Transactions  of  the  American  Philosophical  Society,  vol.  ii.,  p.  50. 

See  also  "List  of  Works,"  post. 

43 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

country  coming  on.  Congress  on  May  9,  1786,  in- 
structed him  and  his  surveyors  to  continue  the  sur- 
vey, "provided  that  they  do  not  proceed  further 
northerly  than  the  east  and  west  line  mentioned" 
in  the  Ordinance  of  1785.*  This  northern  limitation 
was  made  on  account  of  the  unsettled  position  of  the 
forty-first  parallel.  On  May  22,  Hutchins  writes 
Congress  that  he  will  set  out  for  the  western  terri- 
tory on  May  23.  He  arrived  in  Pittsburg  on  July 
25,  and  sent  for  Indian  chiefs  to  accompany  him  on 
the  survey.  His  expectation  was  to  commence 
operations  on  July  12.  Letters  were  received  from 
him  in  July,  August,  September,  October,  and  De- 
cember from  various  camps  within  the  seven  ranges. 
During  part  of  this  time  a  military  escort  was  nec- 
essary for  protection  from  the  Indians.  On  De- 
cember 2,  178G,  he  writes  from  "Ohio  county,  Va.," 
that  four  ranges  and  forty-two  miles  of  the  west 
side  of  the  fifth  range  had  been  completed.  Also 
that  the  first  and  second  ranges  had  been  surveyed 
into  townships  by  Captain  Martin,  and  the  third 
and  fourth  ranges  by  General  Tupper,  Colonel 
Sproat,  Colonel  Sherman,  and  Mr.  Simpson.  In 
"Ohio  county,  Va.,"  the  surveyors  remained  until 
February,  1787,  putting  on  paper  the  results  of  the 
survey.  Hutchins  left  the  western  territory  on  Feb- 
ruary 1,  arriving  in  New  York  on  February  21.  He 
wrote  the  next  day  to  inform  Congress  of  that  fact. 
While  absent  on  the  survey,  Hutchins  must 
have  received  the  following   letter  from    George 

*Joumals  of  Congress,  vol.  xi.,  p.  55. 
44 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 


Washington,  which  shows  in  unmistakable  terms 
how  highly  Hutchins  was  esteemed: 

Mount  Vernon,  20  August,  1786. 

Sir, 

You  will  see  by  the  letter  from  the  Marquis  de  Lafayette  to  me, 
that  the  Empress  "f  Russia  is  desirous  of  obtaining  some  authentii 
documents  respecting  the  language  of  the  natives  of  this  country,  (or 
the  purpose  of  compiling  .1  Universal  Dictionary.  As  I  have  thought 
no  person  was  more  in  condition  to  accomplish  that  essential  service 
for  the  republic  of  letters  than  yourself,  I  have  taken  the  liberty  ol 
transmitting  a  specimen  of  the  vocabulary  to  you,  together  with  a  re- 
quest that  you  will  do  me  the  favor  of  paying  as  early  and  accurate- 
attention  to  the  completion  of  the  matter  as  your  avocations  will  ad- 
mit. Persuaded  that  a  gentleman  of  your  taste  for  science  in  general, 
and  particularly  of  your  capacity  of  acquiring  the  information  in  ques- 
tion, will  enter  upon  the  task  with  pleasure,  I  make  no  apology  for 
troubling  you  with  it.  Nor  do  1  think  it  necessary  to  add  any  thing 
farther  on  the  subject,  than  that  it  may  !»•  expedient  to  extend  the 
vocabulary  as  far  as,  with  the  aid  of  your  friends,  you  conveniently 
can;  and  that  the  greatest  possible  precision  and  exactitude  will  be 
indispensable  in  committing  the  Indian  words  to  paper  by  a  just 
orthography.  With  sentiments  of  esteem  and  regard,  1  have  the 
hon.  ir  to  be,  etc.* 

Whether  or  not  Hutchins  furnished  the  infor- 
mation asked,  I  am  unable  to  say;  hut  Col.  George 
Morgan,  after  Hutchins's  death,  writing  from  New 
York  on  September  1,  178!).  says  that  in  examin- 
ing the  papers  of  the  late  Mr.  Hutchins,  he  has 
found  the  above  letter,  and  wishes  to  furnish  to 
Washington  additional  information  in  case  Hutch- 
ins has  not  fully  complied  with  the  request. * 

Hutchins's  time  seems  to  have  been  completely 
at  the  disposal  of  Congress,  for  on  March  in,  1787, 
he  writes  asking  permission  to  go  to  Philadelphia 

*Tke  Writings  of  George  Washington,  edited  by  Jarcd  Sparks, 
vol.  ix.,  p.  195. 

fMassachusetts  Historical  Society,  Collections,  ser.  3,  vol.  v.,  p.  286 
45 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 


on  private  business.  In  the  same  month,  March 
2.'3,  1787,  Congress,  due  to  the  critical  state  of  pub- 
lic finances,  reduced  the  salary  of  many  federal 
officers.  According  to  this  resolution,*  Hutchins 
is  thereafter  to  be  paid  "at  the  rate  of  fifteen  hun- 
dred dollars  for  such  time  as  he  may  be  actually 
employed  in  the  public  service." 

On  April  18,  1787,  he  submitted  to  Congress  the 
plats  of  the  four  ranges  of  the  Ohio  survey  that  he 
had  completed.  These  plats,  signed  by  the  survey- 
ors mentioned  in  Hutchins's  letter  of  December  2, 
178(5,+  and  dated  178(5,  are  preserved  in  the  Drafting 
Division  of  the  United  States  General  Land  Office. 

Writing,  on  June  25,  1787,  to  the  President  of 
Congress,  he  says  that  Congress  having  been 
pleased  to  nominate  him  one  of  the  commissioners 
for  running  a  line  between  the  states  of  Massa- 
chusetts and  New  York,  he  will  start  with  Doctor 
Ewing  and  Mr.  Rittenhouse  on  the  5th  of  next 
month  (July)  and  be  absent  six  weeks.*  Leave  of 
absence  was  granted  him  for  this  purpose.  He 
was  still  in  New  York  on  July  7  and  July  9,  for 
Manasseh  Cutler  called  on  him  in  New  York  on 
those  dates.++  On  September  24,  1787,  he  was  back 
in  New  York,  having  returned  from  the  work  of 
the  survey.  He  submitted  his  report  to  Congress 
on  February  4,  1788. 

The  term  of  office  for  which  he  had  been  ap- 

*Jour>tals  of  Congress,  vol.  xii.,  p.  34. 
tSee  ante,  p.  44. 
JSee  ante,  p.  42-43. 
JJSee  ante,  p.  36. 

46 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

pointed  in  May,  17H5,  having  expired.  Congress, 
on  May  '20,  17H8,!  "agreeably  to  the  order  of  the 
day,  proceeded  to  the  election  of  a  geographer  of 
the  United  States,  whose  commission  shall  con- 
tinue for  two  years,  unless  sooner  revoked,  and  the 
ballots  being  taken.  Mr.  Hutchins  was  elected; 
having  been  previously  nominated  by  Mr.  Wil- 
liamson." Following  the  reduction  in  his  salary 
and  his  re-election  to  office,  the  work  of  Hutchins 's 
department  increased  rather  than  decreased;  but 
he  was  given  greater  latitude  in  the  appointment 
of  subordinates.  He  is  directed  "to  ascertain  by 
himself,  or  by  a  deputy  duly  appointed  for  the 
purpose,  the  boundary  line  between  the  United 
States  and  the  States  of  New- York  and  Massachu- 
setts, agreeably  to  the  deeds  of  cession  of  the  said 
states."*  He  set  about  the  preparation  for  execut- 
ing this  resolution  by  obtaining  the  needed  sanc- 
tion from  Lord  Dorchester,  Governor  of  Canada. t 
He  is  directed  to  make  surveys  for  the  sale  of  a 
tract  of  land  to  Mr.  Morgan  and  his  associates; ++ 
to  survey  the  lands  set  aside  for  the  satisfaction  of 
Revolutionary  bounty  claims;  *+*  and  he  is  author- 
ized "to  appoint  such  surveyors  as  he  shall  think 
best  qualified,"  "without  any  reference  to  former 
appointments. "++++     In  spite  of  these  numerous  be- 

*  Journals  of  Congress,  vol.  xiii.,  p.  30. 

t/Wrf'.,  p.  34. 

\Pennsylvania  Archives,  ser.  1,  vol.  xi.,  pp.  314-315. 

XXJnurnals  of  Congress,  vol.  xiii.,  p.  44. 
XH'oid.,  pp.  H2-63. 

XXXXlbid.,  p.  71. 

47 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

hests,  he  writes  Congress  on  August  15,  1788,  at 
New  York,  that  he  is  about  to  set  out  for  the  west- 
ern territory,  "on  Monday  next."  to  continue  the 
survey  of  the  seven  ranges.  He  had  started  by 
September  2,  1788.*  Following  his  departure. 
Congress  further  directed  him  to  survey  "the  three 
tracts  of  Gnaden-hutten,  Schoenbrun,  and  Salem, 
on  the  Muskingum, "+  which  had  been  reserved  to 
the  Moravian  Indians  by  the  Ordinance  of  May  20, 
1785.  The  survey  of  these  tracts  was  not  accom- 
plished until  the  year  1797,  when  it  was  done  by 
"Wm.  Rufus  Putnam,  Deputy  Surveyor."  The 
plats  of  the  Salem  and  Schoenbrun  tracts  are  pre- 
served in  the  United  States  General  Land  Office. 
Arriving  at  Pittsburg,  he  proceeded  in  com- 
pany with  the  Rev.  John  Heckewelder  to  Mari- 
etta.t  Here,  however,  Hutchins's  work  was  cut 
short  by  an  illness  which  is  described  as  "a  gradual 
failing  of  the  nerves,  and  an  almost  insensible 
waste  of  the  constitution."  He  returned  to  Pitts- 
burg, where  he  died  on  April  28,  1789.  Says  the 
Gazette  qfthe  United  States.  May  27, 1789,«  under 
date  of  Pittsburg.  May  2,  "He  was  in  a  country 
where  he  had  been  early  known,  and  to  which  he 
had  a  particular  attachment;  in  the  house  of  his 
particular  friend,  John  Ormsby.+++  He  was  daily 
visited  during  his  indisposition  by  those  of  this 

*: Massachusetts  Historical  Society.  Collections,  ser.  5,  vol.  iii.,  p.  60. 
\fournals  of  Congress,  vol.  xiii.,  p.  131. 
JRondthaler  (Edward),  Life  of  John  Heckewelder,  p.  108. 
ftPage  52. 

JJJFor  notice  of  John  Ormsby,  see  The  Olden  Time,  vol.  ii.,  pp.  1-5. 
'48 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 


place,  and  by  gentlemen  occasionally  resident  or 
passing  through  from  different  parts  of  the  conti- 
nent. His  funeral  was  attended  by  a  considerable 
concourse  of  people,  and  the  service  read  at  his 
obsequies  by  Mr.  Heekenwelder,  a  Moravian  clergy- 
man, accidentally  present,  and  who  had  long  known 
the  deceased.  His  merit  is  well  known;  a  man 
greatly  amiable;  and  integrity  his  predominant 
quality. 

"His  map  early  laid  the  foundation  of  American 
geography,  and  his  services  since  his  appointment 
under  the  United  States,  have  been  universally 
acknowledged. 

"He  has  measured  much  earth,  but  a  small 
space  now  contains  him." 

For  many  years  his  remains  lay  in  the  church- 
yard of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Pittsburg. 
His  tombstone  bore  the  inscription: 

IN    MEMORY   OF 

THOMAS  HUTCHINS, 

GEOGRAPHER    OF   THE    UNITED   STATES, 
WHO    DEPARTED   THIS    LIFE    APRIL    28th.,    178!). 

The  present  resting-place  of  his  ashes  seems  a 
question  of  doubt;  four  years  ago  the  cemetery 
was  vacated  to  make  room  for  an  addition  to  the 
church. 

In  surveying  the  events  of  Hutchins's  life,  one 
cannot  fail  to  be  impressed  with  the  variety  of  his 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

experiences.  His  activities  were  connected  with 
important  events  in  the  history  of  America.  The 
steel  of  his  nature  was  well  tempered  to  withstand 
the  sudden  and  prolonged  strains  that  were  put 
upon  it.  A  man  of  affairs,  busy  with  practical 
things,  he  yet  found  time  for  scientific  and  literary 
performance.  A  man  of  principles  which  he  main- 
tained under  the  most  trying  circumstances,  he 
gave  unmistakable  evidence  of  his  patriotism. 
Having  played  an  honorable  part  in  rescuing  the 
western  wilderness  from  the  Indians,  having  suf- 
fered from  his  love  of  American  liberty,  having 
fought  for  it  in  the  army  of  Green,  it  still  remained 
for  him  to  perform  an  inestimable  service  in  mak- 
ing this  new-won  land  habitable  for  its  owners. 
With  his  band  of  hardy  surveyors  he  marked  off 
the  West  in  determinate  areas,  capping  off  his  life's 
work  while  pursuing  the  arts  of  peace.  Discovery, 
Conquest,  Civilization.  He  became  the  associate 
of  the  foremost  scientific  men  of  the  country.  He 
held  the  esteem  of  Ewing,  Rittenhouse,  Ellicott, 
Franklin,  and  Washington.  He  assisted  in  per- 
forming undertakings  which  commanded  the  at- 
tention of  the  scientific  world.  His  geographical 
works  formed  the  basis  for  the  famous  American 
Geography  of  Jedidiah  Morse,  whose  name  was  for 
half  a  century  a  household  word.  Yet  with  diffi- 
culty the  name  of  Thomas  Hutchins  has  been  res- 
cued from  oblivion.  An  unassuming  gentleman, 
always  a  quiet  though  powerful  force,  he  did  not 
seek  the  lime-light  of  publicity.     Yet  after  more 

50 


A  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 

than  a  century  has  elapsed,  as  we  investigate  his 
life,  examining  him  as  a  pioneer,  soldier,  patriot, 
surveyor,  litterateur,  and  scientist,  we  find  him  to 
have  been  one  of  the  great  influences  toward  prog- 
ress; a  man  who  justly  is  entitled  to  a  place  among 
the  great  American  civilizers. 

Frederick  Charles  Hicks. 

Washington,  1).  C,  July,  1!>04. 


uwvttsrw  of  tunas 


A  List  of  the  Works  op  Thomas  Hutchins, 

Including  Notes  on  the  Map 

and  Book  Reprinted 

by 


Frederick  Chari.es  Hicks 


A      LIST     OF      THE      WORK'S      OF      THOMAS 

HUTCHINS,      INCLUDING     XOTES     ON 

THE    MAP    AND    HOOK   REPRINTED 

THE  map  at  the  end  of  this  volume  is  reproduced  in  almost  its  orig- 
inal size,  which  is  35  '4  \4'J  <4  inches.  A  reduced  copy,  19^x24^ 
inches,  was  published  in  Paris,  in  1781,  by  Le  Rouge  in  connec- 
tion with  the  French  edition  of  the  Topographical  Description.  This 
reduced  copy  has  the  following  title: 

Partie  occidentale  I  de  la  Virginie,  Pensylvanie,  I  Maryland  et  Caroline 
Sept1'-.  I  la  Riviere  d'  ( »hio,  el  toutes  celles  qui  s'y  jettent  I  partie  de  la  Riviere 
Mississippi  I  tout  le  corns  de  la  Riviere  des  Illinois  |  le  Lac  Erie,  partie  des 
Lacs  Huron  I  et  Michigan,  A:  I  Toutes  les  contrees  qui  Bordent  I  ces  Lai  -  el 
Rivieres,  1  Par  Hutchlns  Capitaine  Anglais.  |  A  Paris,  I  chez  le  Rouge.  Rue  des 
grands  Augustins  |  1781. 

The  experiences  of  Hutchins's  life  prior  1"  1778,  the  date  of  publi- 
cation of  his  map,  by  which  he  was  enabled  to  collect  the  requisite 
geographical  information,  are  narrated  iii  the  preceding  biographical 
sket<  h  ami  in  the  prei.i.  e  to  the  Topographs  al Description.  Hutchins 
was  acquainted  with  all  the  important  maps,  journals,  and  descriptions 
ahead)  published;  and  was  indebted  to  Fry  and  Jefferson's  map  of 
Virginia,  17.M.  revised  by  J.  Dalrymple,  1755,  and  republished  with  cor- 
rections, in  177.r>;  and  to  Lewis  Evans's  "General  Map  of  the  Middle 
British  Colonies  in  America,"  1755,  revised  and  corrected  by  Thomas 
Pownall,  177(1. 

In  his  Louisiana  and  West  Florida,  p.  57,  Hutchins  gives  the  date 
Of  publication  of  his  book  and  map  as  "January,  1778;"  but  this  must 
be  a  misprint  for  "November,  1778." 

The  maps  were  sold  at  a  guinea  apiece,  and  were  for  sale  in 
America  by  Robert  Aitkin,  of  Philadephia. 

For  special  references  to  the  map  in  this  volume,  see  ante,  pp.  19, 
22,  :i7,  49. 

As  ,iu  explanation  of  this  map,  Hutchins  published  on  the  same  date 
the  Topographical  DeSi  ription  which  is  here  reprinted.  The  title  and 
text  of  this  reprint  are  reproduced  in  facsimile  from  a  copy  in  the  Bur- 
rows brothers  collection,  which  differs  in  several  respects  from  an 
other  copy  in  the  Library  of  Congress.  These  differences,  1  believe, 
have  not  been  previously  noted  in  bibliographies.  An  examination  of 
the  variant  copies  establishes  the  fact  that  there  was  a  second  corrected 
55 


LIST  OF  WORKS 


impression  of  die  book  in  the  year  1778.  On  the  title-page  reproduced, 
there  is  a  typographical  error,  the  letter  "1"  being  substituted  for  the 
letter  "i"  in  the  phrase  "Captain  in  the  60th  Regiment."  Also  at  the 
back  of  page  [67]  are  the  words,  "Entered  at  Stationers  Hall,"  fol- 
lowed by  a  list  of  "Errata."  In  the  second  impression  of  the  book,  all 
these  errors  are  corrected,  sometimes  requiring  the  respacing  of  a  par- 
agraph. Also,  the  words,  "London,  Published  according  to  Act  of 
Parliament  Novembr.  ye  1st,  1778,  by  Thos.  Hutchins,"  are  omitted 
from  the  bottom  of  the  two  plans.  An  extensive  correspondence  has 
shown  that  a  considerable  number  of  copies  of  the  second  impression 
are  in  existence.  I  have  been  unable  to  find  a  copy  of  the  first  impres- 
sion without  the  list  of  errata  at  the  back. 

Of  this  book  there  have  been  two  editions  subsequent  to  1778,  and 
one  partial  reprint. 

EDITION  OF   1781 

Description  |  topographique  |  ile  la  Virginie,  de  la  Pensylvanie,  I  du  Mary 
land  et  de  la  Caroline  I  Septen trionale :  |  Contenant  I  les  Rivieres  d'  Ohio,  Ken 
hawa,  Sioto,  |  Cherokee,  Wabash,  des  Illinois,  du  |  Mississipi,  &c. ;  |  le  climat 
lc  sol,  les  productions,  taut  I  animates  que  vegetales  on  minerales;  |  les  mon 
tagnes,  les  rivieres,  chemins,  distances,  I  latitudes, et  de  toutes  les  parties  repre 
sentees  |  dans  les  cartes  ci-jointes;  |  Publiee  par  Thomas  Hutchins,  I  Capitaine 
du  soixantieme  Regiment  d'Infanterie :  |  Accompagnee  d'un  Plan  des  Sauts  de 
l'Ohio,  d'un  autre  |  de  tous  les  Villages  du  Canton  des  Illinois;  une  Table  des  | 
distances  en  milles  entre  le  Fort-Pitt  &  l'embouchure  de  |  l'Ohio  dans  le  Mis- 
sissipi; |  Plus,  un  Supplement,  qui  contient  le  Journal  de  Patrice  I  Kennedy's, 
sur  la  Riviere  des  Illinois,  &  un  Etat  veritable  des  |  ditferentes  Nations  &  Tribus 
des  Indieus,  avec  le  nombre  des  Com-  |  battans.  |  Traduit  de  l'Anglois.  |  A 
Paris.  |  chez  le  Rouge,  tjeographe,  rue  des  Grands-Augustins  |  M.DCC- 
L.XXXI.  |  Avec  Approbation,  et  Privilege  du  Roi. 

I2i>n\  68 pp.,  it.,  2  maps,  i  tab. 

EDITION   OF   1787 

The  title  of  this  edition  is  identical  with  that  .  >f  the  1778  edition, 
except  for  a  slight  difference  in  spacing.  The  imprint  is:  Boston:  | 
Printed  and  Sold  by  John  Norman,  in  Marshall's  1  Lane  near  the  Bos- 
ton Stone  j  MDCCLXXXVII. 

i2mo,jo-\-2  pp.,  2  maps,  I  tab. 

RKPRINT   OF    1797 

This  reprint  is  Appendix  4,  to  Imlay  (Gilbert),  A  Topographical 
Description  of  the  Western  Territory  of  North  America.  Third  edi- 
tion. London,  1797.  Pp.  485-511.  The  reprint  retains  Kennedy's 
Journal,  but  omits  the  table  of  distances,  the  two  plans,  and  Appendix  3. 

Hutchins's  book  was  for  many  years  one  of  the  important  guides 
for  travel  and  settlement  in  the  western  country.  It  is  now  prized  as  a 
56 


LIST  OF  WORKS 


historical  document,  and  is  classed  among  the  rare  and  valuable 
Americana,  having  been  sold  at  prices  ranging  from  twelve  to  twenty 
dollars.  Henry  Stevens,  Son  S:  Stiles  in  their  Catalogue  of  Books  and 
Pamphlets  relating  to  America,  No.  LX.WV'I,  June,  l'.HM,  pau'e  1!)(JS, 
offer  a  copy  of  the  book  and  map  together  at  £lb. 

The  following  are  biographical  notes  and  references  explanatory 
of  the  persons  mentioned  by  Hutchins  in  the  text  of  his  work  at  the 
pages  indicated: 

Page  i:     Captain  Urchin. 

Lieut.  Diederick  Brehm,  Communicated  by  C.  1).  Scull,  Esq.,  of 
Oxford,  Eng. 

[In  New  England  (The)  Historical  an,/  Genealogical  Register, 
8vo.,  boston.  1883.   Vol.  xxxvii.,  pp.  21-26.] 

Pages  ii.  [7]:    Mr.  Lewis  Evans. 

National  Cyclopaedia  of  American  Biography.    Vol.  xi.,  p.  427. 

Page  [2]:     The  late  Mr.  Gist,  of  I  'irginia. 

Christopher  Gist's  journals  with  Historical,  Geographical  and 
Ethnological  .Votes  and  Biographies  of  his  contemporaries.  li\  Will- 
iam M.  Darlington,  Pittsburgh,  J.  R.  Weldin  &  Co.,  1893. 

Appleton's  Cyclopaedia  of  American  Biography.     Vol.  ii.,  p.  662. 

Pages  [10],  [13]:     Colonel  Cordon. 

See  ante,  pp.  IT,  IS,  and  post,  p  63. 

[For  the  pans  of  Gordon's  Journal  quoted  by  Hutchins,  see  Pow- 
nall  (Thomas)..-/   Topographical Description  of Sue h  Parts  oj  Vorth 

America  as  are    Contained  in   the    (Annexe,/)    Map.     London,   for 
j.  Almon,  177ti.     Appendix  4,  pp.  2  5.] 
Page[llJ:     Doctor  Hunter. 

See  post,   p.  64. 

Page  [15]:    A   worthy  Friend,  and  Countryman :  [i.   e.,   benjamin 
Franklin. J 

See  ante,  p.  '-■'■  _'i>. 

Page  [51]:     Patrick  Kennedy. 

Patrick  Kennedy,  the  author  of  the  journal  contained  in  Appen- 
dix I  of  Hutchins's  book,  was  one  of  the  earliest  inhabitants  of  Kas- 
kaskia,  then  the  capital  of  the  Illinois  country  and  the  center  of  trade 
and  influence.  For  many  years  the  citizens  of  Kaskaskia  had  believed 
that  there  were  copper  mines  in  the  upper  Illinois  country,  as  speci- 
mens of  the  metal  had  frequently  been  brought  in  by  the  Indians. 
The  expedition  chronicled  in  Kennedy's  Journal  was  in  search  of 
these  mines. 

57 


LIST  OF  WORKS 


Kennedy  was  one  of  the  framers  of  a  petition  of  the  English  mer- 
chants of  Kaskaskia,  addressed  on  April  10,  1777,  "To  His  Excellency, 
General  Carleton,  Governor  of  the  Province  of  Canada,  etc.,  etc.,  etc., 
Residing  at  Quebec."  This  petition  prayed  redress  for  the  unjust  dis- 
crimination in  favor  of  French  settlers,  of  Mons.  Phillippe  de  Roche- 
blave,  the  new  governor  of  the  post.* 

Kennedy  is  mentioned  as  one  of  the  witnesses  at  an  examination 
of  one  Henry  Butler,  at  Post  Vincennes  before  Governor  Rocheblave, 
on  February  15-16,  1778.  This  examination  was  to  obtain  information 
concerning  the  operations  of  the  Revolutionary  army  in  the  east. 

When  the  expedition  of  George  Rogers  Clark  for  the  "conquest 
of  the  Illinois"  from  the  British  was  planned,  Kennedy  joined  Clark's 
forces.  He  is  mentioned  in  the  manuscript  journal  of  Major  Bowman 
(Feb.  17,  1779),  as  commissary  of  the  expedition.  This  was  before 
the  taking  of  Post  Vincennes.  And  when  Clark,  on  March  20,  1779, 
set  out  from  Vincennes  for  Detroit,  "Patrick  Kennedy,  Quartermaster," 
was  one  of  the  officers  left  in  charge  of  the  garrison. 

Under  the  acts  of  Congress  granting  donations  of  four  hundred 
acres  of  land  each  to  heads  of  families  in  the  district  of  Kaskaskia, 
Kennedy's  claim  for  his  allotment  was  approved  by  the  board  of  com- 
missioners, he  having  cultivated  and  improved  land  prior  to  1788.+ 

OTHER   PUBLISHED  WORKS? 

Accounts  transmitted  by  Col.   Bouquet  to  Sir  Jeffery  Amherst. 

[In  Gentleman's  {The)  Magazine ;  and  Historical  Chronicle.  By 
Sylvanus  Urban.  8vo.,  London,  for  D.  Henry  and  R.  Cave,  1768.  Vol. 
xxxiii.,  pp.  487-489.] 

The  above  is  attributed  by  Col.  Charles  Whittlesey  to  Thomas  Hutchins. 
There  seems  to  be  little  foundation  for  his  conjecture. 

Description  of  a  remarkable  rock  and  cascade,  near  the  western 
side  of  Youghiogeny  river,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  Crawford's  ferry, 
and  about  twelve  miles  from  Union-Town,  in  Fayette  county,  in  the 
state  of  Pennsylvania.     By  Thomas  Hutchins. 

*For  this  and  following  references,  see  Illinois  Historical  Collections,  vol.  i. 
The  data  are  taken  from  manuscripts  in  the  Canadian  Archives. 

^American  State  Papers:  Public  Lands,  vol.  ii.,  p.  163. 

JThe  three  articles  in  the  Philosophical  Transactions  of  the  Royal  Society  of 
London,  vols.  lxv.  (1775).  lxvi.  (1776),  lxxiii.  (1783)  which  have  frequently  been 
attributed  to  Hutchins,  were  written  by  a  Thomas  Hutchins  who  was  governor 
of  Albany  Fort,  on  Hudson  Bay. 

Hon.  H.  W.  Beckwith  in  Illinois  Stale  Historical  Library.  Collections.  1903 
vol.  i.  Appendix,  page  46,  attributes  to  Hutchins  the  authorship  of  "A  plan  of 
Cascaskies"  in  Pittman's  The  Present  State  of  the  European  Settlements  on  the 
Mississippi,  1770.  The  copy  of  the  plan  in  the  Library  of  Congress  is  by 
"Thos.  Kitchin,"  the  famous  English  geographer. 
58 


LIST  OF  WORKS 


[In  American  Philosophical  Society,  Transactions,  Quarto.  Phil- 
adelphia, the  Society,  17>6.    Vol.  ii.,  p.  50.] 

Idem. 

[In  Annual  (  The)  Register  or  a  View  of  the  History,  Tolitics,  and 
Literature  for  the  year  1787.  8v(  >.,  L<  mdon,  for  J.  Dodsley,  1789.  Vol. 
xxix.,  "Natural  History,"  pp.  55-50.] 

Idem. 

[In  Imlay  ( Gilbert ),  A  Topographical  Description  of  the  Western 
Territory  of  North  America.  Third  edition,  Svo.,  London,  J.  Debrett, 
1797,  pp.  304-305.] 

An  historical  account  of  the  expedition  against  the  Ohio  Indians,  in 
the  year  1764.  under  the  command  of  Henry  Bouquet,  Esq.,  colonel  of 
foot,  and  now  brigadier  general  in  America,  &C,  including  his  trans- 
actions with  the  Indians,  relative  to  the  delivery  of  their  prisoners,  and 
the  preliminaries  of  peace.  With  an  introductory  account  of  the  pre- 
ceeding  campaign  and  battle  of  Bushy-Run.  To  which  are  annexed 
military  papers,  containing  reflections  on  the  war  with  the  savages;  a 
method  of  forming  frontier  settlements;  some  account  of  the  Indian 
country,  with  a  list  oi  nations,  fighting  men.  towns,  distances  and  dif- 
ferent routs.  The  whole  illustrated  with  a  map  and  copperplates. 
Published  from  authentic  documents,  by  a  Lover  of  his  Country. 
Philadelphia.  W.  Bradford,  M.DCC.LXV. 

Quarto,  xiii.-\-Jl  pp.,  1  map,  2  plans. 

For  the  reasons  stated  in  the  biographical  sketch,  mite.  pp.  16.  16.  40,  ami 
for  reference  purposes,  this  book  is  included  in  the  lis!  of  Hutchins's  works. 

Idem.     Philadelphia  printed:  London,  reprinted  for T. Jeff eries, 

M.DCC.LXV  1. 

Quarto,  xiii.Yy  PP-,  '  >"aP*  -  plans,  2  pi. 

Plans  on  reduced  scale.  Additional  plates  engraved  by  Grignon,  from  the 
earliest  drawings  of  Benjamin  West. 

Idem.     [In   French. |     A  Amsterdam:  chez   Marc-Michel    Key, 

M.DCC.LXIX. 

Svo,  half-title,  title,  vi.-xvi.,  ijy,  ix  pp.,  4  folded  plans,  2  pi. 

Translated  by  C.  Ii.  V.  1  Mimas.    Contains  biography  of  Bouquet 

Idem.     Dublin:     printed     for     John     Milliken,     1709.     i2mo., 

xx+QQ  pp.,  maps,  pi. 

Idem. 

[In  Olden  [The)    Time.     8vo.,    Pittsburgh,    1846-1848.     Vol.  i.,  pp. 


203-221,  and  241-261.] 

Without  the  maps  and  plates. 


LIST  OF  WORKS 


Idem.     Cincinnati,  O.,  R.  Clarke  &  Co.,  1868.     Svo.,   xxiii.-\- 

162  pp.,  I  map,  2  plans,  2  pi. 

Preface  by  Francis  Parkman.  Reprinted  from  London  edition,  1766,  with 
translation  of  Bouquet  biography  from  French  edition.  No.  1,  in  "Ohio  Valley 
Historical  Series." 

An  historical  narrative  and  topographical  description  of  Louisiana, 
and  West-Florida,  comprehending  the  river  Mississippi  with  its  princi- 
pal branches  and  settlements,  and  the  rivers  Pearl,  Pascagoula,  Mobille, 
Perdido,  Escambia,  Chacta-Hatcha,  &c,  the  climate,  soil,  and  produce, 
whether  animal,  vegetable,  or  mineral;  with  directions  for  sailing  into 
all  the  bays,  lakes,  harbours  and  rivers  on  the  north  side  of  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico,  and  for  navigating  between  the  islands  situated  along  the 
coast,  and  ascending  the  Mississippi  river.  By  Thomas  Hutchins, 
geographer  to  the  United  States.  Philadelphia:  printed  for  the  author, 
and  sold  by  Robert  Aitken,  M.DCC.LXXXIV. 

Svo.,  iz>.-\-Q4  pp.,  /I. 

Idem. 

[In  Imlay  (Gilbert),  A  Topographical  Description  of  the  Western 
Territory  of  North  America.  Third  edition,  8vo.,  London,  J.  Debrett, 
1797.     Appendix  I.,  pp.  388-458.] 

Carte  des  environs  du  fort  Pitt  et  de  la  nouvelle  province  Indiana, 
dediee  a  M.  Franklin.     9x12. 

[In  Hutchins  (Thomas),  Description  Topographique  de  la  Vir- 
ginia    l'2mo.,  Paris,  le  Rouge,  1781.     At  end.] 

A  map  of  the  country  on  the  Ohio  &  Muskingum  rivers  shewing 
the  situation  of  the  Indian  towns  with  respect  to  the  army  under  the 
command  of  Colonel  Bouquet.  By  Thos.  Hutchins,  ass',  engineer. 
9&xl2j£. 

[In  Historical  (An)  Account  of  the  Expedition  against  the  Ohio 
Indians  in  the  Year  1764.     8vo.,  Philadelphia,  1765.     Front.] 

Same  map  in  all  the  editions  and  reprints  of  this  work  except  that  in  Ohien 
Tune. 

Idem.     9^x12^. 

[In  Jefferys  (Thomas),  A  General  Topography  of  North  America 
and  the  West  Indies.  Folio,  London,  for  R.  Sayer  &  T.  Jefferys,  176S. 
No.  52.] 

Idem.     9</2xl2y2. 

[In  Hildredth  (Samuel  Prescott),  Pioneer  History.  Svo.,  Cin- 
cinnati, H.  W.  Derby  &  Co.,  1848.     Between  pp.  ii.-iii.] 

Idem.    3^x4^". 

[In  Winsor  (Justin),  Narrative  and  Critical  History  of  America- 
Folio,  Boston:    Houghton,  Mifflin  &  Co.,  1S88.     Vol.  vi.,  p.  696.] 
60 


LIST  OF  WORKS 


Idem.    7^x9^. 

fin  Parkman  (Francis),  History  of  the  Conspiracy  of  Pontiac. 
8vo,  Boston,  Little,  Brown  &  Co.,  L855.     Between  pp.  478-479.] 

Plan  of  the  battle  near  Bushy-Run,  gained  by  Colonel  Bouquet, 
over  the  Delawares,  Shawanes,  Mingoes,  Wyandots,  Mohikons, 
Miamies  &  Ottawas;  on  the  5th.  and  6*h.  of  August,  1763.  Survey'd 
by  Thos.  Hutchins,  assistant  engineer.     ">'_•  x  h%. 

[In  Historical  {An)  Account  of  the  Expedition  against  the  Ohio 
Indians  in  the  Year  1764.  8vo„  Philadelphia,  17tio.  Between  pp.  24-25.] 

Same  plan  in  all  the  editions  and  reprints  of  this  work,  except  that  in 
Olden  Time. 

Idem.    hUxhX. 

[In  Jcfferys    (Thomas),  A  General  Topography  of  North  America 

and  the    West  Indies.     Folio,   London,  for   R.    Saver   and  T.  Jcfferys, 
1768.     No.  53.] 

Idem.    A#xiX. 

|  In  Winsor  (Justin),  Narrative  and  Critical  History  of  America. 
Folio,  Boston:  Houghton,  Mifflin  &  Co.,  1888.    Vol.  vi.,  p.  693.] 

Idem.    1U16K. 

[InRupp  (Israel  Daniel),  Early  History  of  Western  Pennsylvania 
8vo.,  Pittsburgh,  1848.     Facing  p.  145.] 

A  plan  of  the  rapids  in  the  river  Ohio,  by  Thos.  Hutchins. 
I.  Cheevers  sculpt.    5#x7#.    [1766.] 

[  lit  his.4  Topographical  Description  of 'Virginia.  12mo.,  London, 
1178.     Between  pp.  8-9.] 

"See  annexed  plan.  It  is  a  correct  description  of  these  Rapids,  made  by 
the  editor,  on  the  spot  in  the  year  1766." 

Idem.    2Xx4}i. 

[In  Filson  (John).  The  Discovery,  Settlement  and  Present  State 
of  Kentucky.  8vo.,  London,  for  J.  Stockdale,  1793.  Inset  to  Filson's 
map  of  Kentucky.     Between  pp.  8-9.] 

Idem.     Engraved  for  Imlay's  American  Topography.    T.  Con- 

der,  sculpt.     Published  Feby.  1st.,  17<Ci.  by  J.  Debrett,  Picadilly,  Lon- 
don.    6x7  %. 

[In  lmlay  (Gilbert),  A  Topographical  Description  of  the  West- 
ern Territory  of  North  America.  Third  edition,  8vo.,  London,  J.  De- 
brett, 1797.     Between  pp.  32-33.] 

Contains  additions  to  original  plate,  and  omits  Hutchins's  name. 

A  Plan  of  the  Several  Villages  in  the  Illinois  Country,  with  Tart  of 
the  River  Mississippi,  &c,  by  Thos.  Hutchins.     7!^xf>. 
61 


LIST  OF  WORKS 


[In  his  A  Topographical  Description  of  Virginia.  12mo.,  London, 
1778.     Between  pp.  4041.] 

Idem.     T/2x\'/2. 

[In  Parkman  (Francis),  History  of  the  Conspiracy  of  Pontiac. 
8vo,  Boston:     Little,  Brown  &  Co.,  1855.     Between  pp.  512-513.] 

Idem.    h%sZU. 

[In  Winsor  (Justin),  Narative  and  Critical  History  of  America. 
Folio,  Boston:  Houghton,  Mifflin  &  Co.,  1888.    Vol.  vi.,  p.  700.] 

Idem.    T/ixi'A. 

[In  Ontario  and  Manitoba.  Matter  of  the  Boundary  between  the 
Provinces  of  Ontario  and  Manitoba.  Copies  of  maps  produced  on  be- 
half of  Ontario.     Map  "A".] 

A  survey  of  that  part  of  the  Indian  country  through  which  Colonel 
Bouquet  marched  in  1764.  By  Thomas  Hutchins,  assistant  engineer. 
4M"xl2K. 

[In  Historical  (An)  Account  of  the  Expedition  against  the  Ohio 
Indians  in  the  Year  1764.    8vo.,  Philadelphia,  1765.     Front.] 

Same  map  in  all  the  editions  and  reprints  of  this  work,  except  that  in  Olden 
Time. 

Idem.    4UxV2'/2. 

[In  Jefferys  (Thomas),  A  General  Topography  of  North  America 
and  the  West  Indies.  Folio,  London,  for  R.  Sayer  &  T.  Jefferys, 
1768.     No.  52.] 

Idem.    4^x12^. 

[In  Hildredth  (Samuel  Prescott),  Pioneer  History.  8vo.,  Cincin- 
nati, H.  W.  Derby  &  Co.,  1848.     Between  pp.  ii-iii.l 

UNPUBLISHED  WORKS 

MANUSCRIPTS  IN  THE    LIBRARY    OF   THE    PENNSYLVANIA  HISTORICAL 
SOCIETY,    PHILADELPHIA 

A  folio  volume  with  cover  title,  Papers  of  Thos.  Hutchins,  Geog- 
rapher General  U.  S.,  1771-84.  These  papers  were  presented  to  the 
Society  in  1876  by  Prof.  W.  S.  Cooley.  There  is  no  record  of  how 
they  came  into  his  possession.  Besides  many  miscellaneous  notes, 
sketches,  etc.,  the  volume  contains  the  following  items.  Those 
marked  with  an  asterisk  (*)  are  not  Hutchins's  own  work. 

Beginning  at  the  Shawanoe  River  the  16th.  Augst.,  1769  and  pro- 
ceeded down  the  Kiver.     Folio,  8 pp. 

Courses  of  the  Kaskaskia  River.     Folio,  iS pp. 
62 


LIST  OF  WORKS 


Courses  of  the  Shawanoe   River  from  the  mouth  upwards.     Folio, 

,3  PP. 

A.  Description  of  part  "f  the  Country  westward  of  the  River  Ohio 
with  the  Distances  Computed   from   Fort   Pitt  to  the  several  Indian 

towns  by  Land  and  Water.     t8 pp.  andj  maps. 

A  Description  of  Several  Parts  of  the  Western  Country.  Folio, 
/..-  PP. 

A  Description  of  the  Sea  Coast,  Harbours.  Lakes,  Rivers,  &c.,  of 
the  Province  of  West  Florida.     Quarto,  /i  pp. 

[Descriptive  notes,  field  notes,  etc.,  relating  to  Lower  Mississippi 
and  the  lakes  near  the  Gulf.]    37  pp.-\-!2  pp. 

An  Estimate  of  the  Expence  it  will  take  to  finish  compleatly,  as 
well  the  Works  already  begun,  as  those  originally  intended  to  be 
made  at  Pensacola,  by  Order  of  the  Commander  in  Chief  of  North 
America.  [Dated],  London,  May  8">.  17T7.  [Signed],  Tho:  Hutchins, 
Acting  Engineer.    Folio,  //. 

First  Expedition  of  the  French  into  X.  America.     Folio,  16 pp. 

Journal  from  Susquehannah  to  the  Ohio.    Folio,  2S  pp. 

A  Journal  of  a  march  from  Fort  Pitt  to  Venango  and  from  thence 
to  Presqu'Isle.    Folio,  j  pp. 

Printed  in  Pennsylvania  Magazine  of  Hillary,  vol.  ii.  pp.  l4tM53. 

♦Journal  of  a  surveying  party  in  employment  of  Capt:  Johnson, 
Thos:  Hutchins,  Alex.  MaCullough  and  Hall  Hay,  Esq.  26th.  July  to 
17t*>.  Sept.  1774.  Pensacola,  James  Xowland.  Copied  by  Right 
Rev'd  Geo:  Uppold,  I).  D.  Ward,  Librarian,  Binder.  [Cover  Title.] 
Quarto,  23  II. 

Copy  made  at  Pittsburg,  December  4,  1846,  from  the  original  in  possession 
of  David  T.  Morpan. 

♦Journal  of  Capt.  Harry  Gordon  down  the  Ohio  River,  17tiK. 
Incomplete  copy  ending  with  October  28,  1766. 

*.\  lonrnal  of  Gen.  Sullivan's  Campaign  to  the  Susquehannah  &  a 
Draft  of  the  same.     Folio,  hi  pp. 

Locations  ol  _ d  Lands  on  the  Waters  ol  the  Monongahela,  Little 

Canhawa,  in  the  Traders  Tract  iV   on   the   Great  Canhawa.   Folio, 3pp. 

I  tilers 

To  Capt».  James  Voung,  Paymaster  to  the  Pennsylvania  Troops. 
I  Dated],  Pittsburgh,  Aug'.  6">.,  1759.     Folio,  2 pp. 
63 


LIST  OF  WORKS 


To  Mr.  George  Morgan,  Merchant,  Kaskaskia.  [Dated],  Ft.  Char- 
tres,  13th  Septr.,  1770.    Folio,  2 pp. 

To  Robert  Lettue  Hooper  Esq.  [Dated],  Philada.,  28th.,  Novr. 
1771.    Folio,  3  pp. 

Maps 

Course  of  the  Tage  River.  13xlH. 

[Map  of  "Fort  at  Pittsburgh"  and  "Fort  Duquesne."]  Colored, 
10&"xl4. 

Insets,  "Profile  for  Fort  Duquesne,"  and  "Profile  for  Pittesburgh."  Has 
explanatory  legend. 

[Map  of  Kentucky  river.]     12x7. 

[Map  of  the  Lower  Mississippi.]     7x11. 

[Map  of  the  River  Apelousa  and  bay.]     11x9. 

"Drawn  from  memory  from  Dr.  Lorimer  who  has  the  original  manuscript 
from  draft  taken  by  a  Frenchman." 

[Map  of  the  Wabash  River.]     15x12. 

[Map  of  the  White  River  and  part  of  the  Mississippi.]     13x8. 
Shows  "Fort  Gabriel,"  "White  River,"  "Mississippi,"  "Sneake  Bluff,"  and 
"New  Fort." 

*[Map  showing  Gen.  Sullivan's  route.]     18x13. 

Gives  "Senica  Lake,"  "Cayuga  Lake,"  and  route  from  "Chenissee  River" 
to  "Coharo"  at  head  of  "Cayuga  Lake,"  and  thence  to  "F"ort  Read"  and  "F. 
Sullivan." 

Notes  on  Tuscarawas  (Ohio)  country,  with  map. 

♦Observations  on  the  Bones  commonly  supposed  to  be  Elephants 
Bones  which  have  been  found  near  the  River  Ohio  in  America.  By 
William  Hunter,  M.  D.,  F.  R.  S.     Quarto,  18  pp. 

Copied  from  Philosophical  Transactions,  1768.  See  also  note  to  Topographical 
Description,  p.  [11]. 

♦[Parchment  commission  of  Thomas  Hutchins,  Esq.,  appointing 
him  "Captain  Lieutenant  to  that  company  in  the  Second  Battalion  of 
Our  Sixtieth  or  Royal  American  Regiment  of  Foot,  commanded  by 
Our  Right  Trusty  and  Wel-beloved  Councillor,  Sir  Jeffery  Amherst." 
Dated  September  24,  1775.] 

Politicks  of  the  Ohio  Country.     Folio,  j>  pp. 

Remarks  on  the  country  of  the  Illinois,  &c.  &c.  [ending  with],  An 
account  of  the  Exports  from  the  Illinois,  from  Sepf.  1769  to  Sep- 
tember, 1770.     Folio,  S  pp. 

64 


LIST  OF  WORKS 


Remarks  on  the  River  Amit.     Folio,  1 I. 

Remarks  relating  to  the  Rivers  Mississippi,  Ibbcrville,  Amit  & 
Lakes  Maurepas  &  Pontchatrain.     Folio,  2  11. 

The  Rout  from  Fort  Pitt  to  Sandusky,  and  thence  to  Detroit,  [and] 
The  Rout  by  land  from  Fort  Pitt  to  Venango;  and  from  thence  to  Le 
Boeuf,  and  I'resqu'isle.    Folio,  12 />/>. 

Of  the  second  item,  there  is  also  a  separate  copy,    ft  pp. 

Some  Remarks  on  Georgia  and  South  Carolina.    Folio,  ig  pp. 

Topographical   Description   of    Virginia,   Carolina    and    Georgia. 

Folio,  j  pp. 

MANUSCRIPTS   IN  THE    LIBRARY    OF    THE    STATE    DEPARTMENT, 
WASHINGTON,    I).    C. 

A  folio  volume  with  cover  title,  "The  papers  of  the  Continental  Con- 
gress. Letters  of  J.  Carleton  and  T.  Hutchins."  Plans.  Vol.  lx.,  pp.  1 
to  453.  Hutchins's  letters  commence  with  page  160,  where  they  are 
headed,  "Letters.  Thomas  Hutchins,  geographer.  From  July  11,  1781, 
to  15  Augt.,  1788  inclu." 

This  volume  contains  thirty  letters  written  by  Hutchins  to  the  Presi- 
dent of  Congress  concerning  matters  pertaining  to  the  office  of  geo- 
grapher. Accompanying  one  of  these  is  a  paper  entitled,  "A  brief  ac- 
count of  the  soil  and  timber  in  that  part  of  the  Western  Territory 
through  which  an  east  and  west  line  has  been  surveyed — agreeable  to 
an  ordinance  of  congress  of  the  L'niii.  of  May  1785.  Beginning  on  the 
North  bank  of  the  Ohio  River  at  a  point  due  North  from  the  Western 
termination  of  a  line  which  has  been  run  as  the  southern  boundary  of 
the  state  of  Pennsylvania."     Folio,  8  pp. 

MANUSCRIPT    PLATS    IN    THE     DRAFTING    DIVISION,    UNITED    STATES 
GENERAL    LAND   OFFICE,    WASHINGTON,    D.    C. 

In  this  Division  are  seventy-nine  manuscript  plats  of  the  seven 
ranges  surveyed  in  Ohio.  Each  is  mounted  upon  a  board  20x16 
inches  in  size,  the  plats  themselves  being  each  12x12  inches.  The 
scale  is  40  chains  to  one  inch.  They  indicate  the  survey  only  upon 
exterior  lines,  although  in  many  instances  the  section  lines  are  drawn. 
The  sections  sold  have  been  indicated  bv  a  later  hand,  the  date  of 
sale  being  given.  Each  plat  is  signed  by  the  surveyor  who  ran  the 
lines.  Plats  for  townships  4,  5,  9,  15  and  16,  in  ranges  2,  5,  7,  7  and  7, 
respectively  are  wanting.  The  plats  of  the  thirt)  eight  townships  in 
ranges  one  to  four  were  surveyed  and  drawn  under  the  direction  of 
Thomas  Hutchins.  See  "Biographical  Sketch,"  page  46. 
65 


LIST  OF  WORKS 


MANUSCRIPTS   IN  THE  CHICAGO   HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 

Two  letters  written  by  Hutchins  to  Hon.  John  Montgomery. 
[Dated],  Philadelphia,  May  19  and  May  26,  1784,  respectively.  These 
letters  are  printed  in  Magazine  of  Western  History,  vol.  iv,  May-Oct., 
1886,  p.  684. 

MANUSCRIPTS    IN    THE    BRITISH    MUSEUM 

{Transcripts  in  Canadian  Archives^ 

Eleven  letters  to  Colonel  Bouquet,  and  one  to  Major  Gates,  written 
in  the  years  1759-1765. 

[Bouquet  Papers.] 

Eighteen  letters  to  Brigadier  Haldimand,  one  to  Captain  Sowers, 
one  to  Lieutenant  Cambel,  and  one  to  Alexander  Macullogh,  written 
in  the  years  1766-1774. 

[Haldimand  Papers.} 

A  sketch  of  the  Ouabache  &c.  from  Post  Vincent  to  the  Ohio.  By 
Tho:  Hutchins.    [1768]. 

[Haldimand  Papers,  21,686,  p.  23.] 

Reproduced  (6^2  x  6  in.)  in  Hulbert  (A.  B.),  Historic  Highways  of  America. 
Quarto,  Cleveland,  O.,  The  Arthur  H.  Clark  Co.,  1903,  vol.  viii.,  page  35. 

Shows  "Path  from  Kaskasquias  to  Post  Vincent." 


THOMAS  HUTCHINS 


A   TOPOGRAPHICAL    DESCRIPTION   OF 
VIRGINIA,  PENNSYLVANIA,  MARY- 
LAND, AND  NORTH  CAROLINA 

LONDON.     Printed  for  the  Author,   1778 


Text  and  plates  reproduced  from  a  copy  of  the  ori- 
ginal edition  in  possession  of  the  Publishers; 
large  map   photolithographed  from  the 
original  in  the  Library  of  Congress 


A 

TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

O    F 

VIRGINIA,     FENNSTLVANIJi 
MARYLAND,  and  NORTH  CAROLINA, 

COMPREHENDING    THE 

RIVERS  OHIO,  KENHAWA,   SIOTO,   CHEROKEE, 
WABASH,  ILLINOIS,  MISSISIPPI,  &c. 

THE 

CLIMATE,  SOIL   and   PRODUCE, 

WHETHER 

ANIMAL,  VEGETABLE,  or  MINERAL; 

THE 

Mountains,  Creeks,  Roads,  Distances,  Lati- 
tudes, Sec.  and  of  every  Part,  laid  down  in  the  an- 
nexed Map. 

Publifted  by  THOMAS     HUTCHINS, 
Captain   In  the   6oth    Regiment   of  Foot. 

WITH       A 
Plan  of  the  Rapid3  of  the  Ohio,  a  Plan  of  the  feveral 
Villages  in  the  Illinois  Country,  a  Table  of  the 
Distances  between  Fort   Pitt  and  the  Mouth  of  the 
Ohio,  all  Engraved  upon  Copper. 

AND 

An  APPENDIX,  containing  Mr.  Patrick  Kennedy's 
Journal  up  the  Illinois  Rivbr,  and  a  correct  Lift  of  the 
different  Nations  and  Tribes  of  Indians,  with  the 
Number  of  Fighting    Men,  Sec. 


L    O    N     DON: 

Printed  for  the  AUTHOR,   and  Sold  by  J.  Aim  ox, 
oppoCfe  Burlington  licuiV,   in  Piccadilly. 

MDCCIXXVIH. 


THE 

PREFACE. 

TH  E  Map,  which  the  following 
fheets  are  intended  to  explain,  com- 
prehends almoft  the  whole  of  the  country, 
lying  between  the  34th  and  44th  degrees 
of  latitude,  and  the  79th  and  93d  degrees 
of  longitude,  and  defcribes  an  extent  of 
territory,  of  about  850  miles  in  length, 
and  700  miles  in  breadth;  and  one,  which, 
for  healthfulnefs,  fertility  of  foil,  and  va- 
riety of  productions,  is  not,  perhaps,  fur- 
pafled  by  any  on  the  habitable  globe. 

Thofe  parts  of  the  country  lying  weji- 
ward  of  the  Allegheny  mountain,  and 
upon  the  rivers  Ohio  and  Mi/Jijippi,  and 
upon  molt  of  the  other  rivers;  and  the 
lakes  (laid  down  in  my  Map)  were  done 
from  my  own  Surveys,  and  corrected  by 
my  own  Oblervations  of  latitudes,  made  at 
different  periods  preceding,  and  during  all 
the  campaigns  of  the  lajl  war  (in  feveral  of 
which  I  adted  as  an  Engineer)  and  fincc  in 
many  reconnoitring  tours,  which  I  made 
through  various  parts  of  the  country,  be- 
tween the  years  1704  and  1775. 

I  have  compared  my  own  Obfervations, 
and  Surveys,  refpedting  the  lakes,  with 
thofe  made  by  Captain  Brehm,  of  the  00th 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

[ii]  Regiment  of  Foot  (who  was  for  many 
years  employed  as  an  Engineer  in  North 
America)  and  I  find,  that  they  correfpond 
with  more  exa6tnefs  than  Surveys  ufually 
do,  which  are  made  by  different  perfons,  at 
different  times; — and  I  am  happy  in  this 
opportunity,  of  exprefling  my  obligations 
to  this  Gentleman,  for  the  cheerfulnefs  with 
which  he  furnifhed  me  with  his  Surveys 
and  Remarks. 

It  is  fit  alfo,  that  I  mould  take  notice, 
that  in  the  account  which  I  have  given  of 
feveral  of  the  branches  of  the  Ohio,  and 
Alleghany  rivers,  I  have  adopted  the  words 
of  the  late  ingenious  Mr.  Lewis  Evans, 
as  I  found  he  had  properly  defcribed  them 
in  the  Analyfis  to  his  Map  of  the  Middle 
Colonies. — And  as  to  that  portion  of  my 
Map,  which  reprefents  the  country  lying 
on  the  eq/iern  fide  of  the  Allegheny  moun- 
tain,— I  take  the  liberty  of  informing  my 
Readers,  that  my  reafon  for  inferting  it 
was  to  fhew  the  feveral  communications 
that  are  now  made,  and  others  which  may 
be  hereafter,  eafily,  made,  between  the  na- 
vigable branches  of  the  Ohio  and  Allegheny 
rivers,  and  the  rivers  in  Virginia  and  Penn- 
fylvania,  which  fall  into  the  Atlantic  ocean, 

from  the  weft  and  north-weft. 

London,  Nov.  1,  1778. 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 


Topographical  Description,  &c. 

r^l^  H  E  lands  lying  on  a  wefterly  line, 
between  the  Laurel  Mountain  and  the 
Allegheny  River,  and  thence  northerly  up 
that  River  for  150  miles,  on  both  fides  of 
the  fame,  tho'  not  much  broken  with 
high  mountains,  are  not  of  the  fame  ex- 
cellent quality  with  the  lands  to  the  fouth- 
ward  of  Fort  Pitt.  They  confift  chiefly 
of  White  Oak,  and  Chefnut  ridges;  and  in 
many  places  of  poor  Pitch  Pines,  interf- 
perfed  with  tracts  of  good  land ;  and  low 
meadow  grounds. 

The  lands  comprehended  between  the 
River  Ohio,  at  Fort  Pitt,  and  the  Laurel 
Mountain,  and  thence  continuing  the  fame 
breadth  from  Fort  Pitt  to  the  Great  Kan- 
hawa  River,  may,  according  to  my  own 
[2]  obfervations,  and  thofe  of  the  late  Mr. 
Gift,  of  Virginia,  be  generally,  and  juftly 
defcribed  as  follows. 

73 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

The  vallies  adjoining  to  the  branches 
or  fprings  of  the  middle  forks  of  Youg- 
hiogeny, are  narrow  towards  its  fource, — 
but  there  is  a  confiderable  quantity  of 
good  farming  grounds  on  the  hills,  near 
the  largeft  branch  of  that  River. — The 
lands  within  a  fmall  diftance  of  the 
Laurel  Mountain  (through  which  the 
Youghiogeny  runs)  are  in  many  places 
broken  and  ftoney,  but  rich  and  well  tim- 
bered ;  and  in  fome  places,  and  particu- 
larly on  Laurel  Creek,  they  are  rocky 
and  mountainous. 

From  the  Laurel  Mountain,  to  Mo- 
nongahela,  the  firft  feven  miles  are  good, 
level  farming  grounds,  with  fine  meadows ; 
the  timber,  white  Oak,  Chefnut,  Hick- 
ory, &c. — The  fame  kind  of  land  con- 
tinues foutherly  (12  miles)  to  the  upper 
branches  or  forks  of  this  River,  and 
about  15  miles  northerly  to  the  place 
where  the  Youghiogeny  falls  into  the  Mo- 
nongahela. — The  lands,  for  about  18  miles 
[3]  in  the  fame  Courfe  of  the  laft-men- 
tioned  River,  on  each  fide  of  it,  tho' 
hilly,  are  rich  and  well  timbered.  —  The 
trees   are  Walnut,   Locuft,  Chefnut,   Pop- 

74 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

lar,  and  Sugar  or  fweet  Maple.  —  The 
low  lands,  near  the  River,  are  about  a  mile, 
and  in  feveral  places  two  miles  wide.  — 
For  a  confiderable  way  down  the  River, 
on  the  eaftern  fide  of  it,  the  intervals  are 
extremely  rich,  and  about  a  mile  wide. 
The  Upland  for  about  12  miles  eaftwardly, 
are  uncommonly  fertile,  and  well  tim- 
bered ;  —  the  low  lands,  on  the  weftern 
fide,  are  narrow;  but  the  Uplands,  on  the 
eaftern  fide  of  the  River,  both  up  and 
down,  are  excellent,  and  covered  with 
Sugar  trees,  &c. 

Such  parts  of  the  country  which  lie  on 
fome  of  the  branches  of  the  Mononga- 
hela,  and  acrofs  the  heads  of  feveral  Ri- 
vers, that  run  into  the  Ohio,  tho'  in 
general  hilly,  are  exceedingly  fruitful  and 
well  watered.  —  The  timber  is  Walnut, 
Chefnut,  Alh,  Oak,  Sugar  trees,  &c— and 
the  interval  or  meadow  lands  are  from 
250  yards  to  a  quarter  of  a  mile  wide. 

[4]  The  lands  lying  nearly  in  a  north- 
wefterly  direction  from  the  Great  Kanhawa 
River  to  the  Ohio,  and  thence  north- 
eafterly,  and  alfo  upon  Lc  Tort's  Creek, 
Little  Kanhawa  River,  Buffaloe,   Fijhing, 

75 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

Weeling,  and  the  two  upper,  and  two 
lower,  and  feveral  other  very  conliderable 
Creeks  (or  what,  in  Europe,  would  be 
called  large  Rivers,)  and  thence  eaft,  and 
fouth-eaft  to  the  River  Monongahela,  are, 
in  point  of  quality,  as  follows. 

The  borders  or  meadow  lands,  are  a 
mile,  and  in  fome  places  near  two  miles 
wide;  and  the  Uplands  are  in  common  of 
a  molt  fertile  foil,  capable  of  abundantly 
producing  Wheat,  Hemp,  Flax,  &c. 

The  lands  which  lie  upon  the  Ohio, 
at  the  mouths  of,  and  between  the  above 
Creeks,  alio  confift  of  rich  intervals  and  very 
fine  farming  grounds.- -The  whole  country 
abounds  in  Bears,  Elks,  Buff  aloe.  Deer, 
Turkies,  &c— An  unqueftionable  proof 
of  the  extraordinary  goodnefs  of  its  foil!  * 

[5]  Fort  Pitt  Hands  at  the  confluence  of 
the  Allegheny  and  Monongahela  Rivers;  in 
latitude  40°  31'  44";  and  about  five  degrees 
we/tward  of  Philadelphia. —In  the  year  1760, 
a  fmall  town,  called  Pitt f burgh,  was  built 
near    Fort   Pitt,    and    about    200    families 

*  Indiana,  as  may  be  feen  in  my  Map,  lies  within  the 
territory  here  delcribed.  It  contains  about  three  millions 
and  an  half  of  Acres,  and  was  granted  to  Samuel  Wharton, 
William  Trent  and  George  Morgan  Elquires,  and  a  few  other 
perlbns,  in  the  year  1768. 

76 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

refided  in  it;  but  upon  the  Indian  war 
breaking  out  (in  the  month  of  May  1763,) 
They  abandoned  their  houfes,  and  retired 
into  the  fort. 

In  the  year  1705  the  p relent  town  of 
Pittfburgh  was  laid  out.  It  is  built  on  the 
Eaftern  bank  of  the  River  Monongahela, 
about  200  yards  from  Fort  Pitt. 

The  junction  of  the  Allegheny  and  Mo- 
nongahela  rivers,  forms  the  River  Ohio,  and 
this  difcharges  itfelf  into  the  MiJJiJippi. 
(in  latitude  36°  43)  about  1188  com- 
puted miles  from  Fort  Pitt.  The  Ohio  in 
its  paffage  to  the  Mijffijippi,  glides  thro' 
a  pleafant,  fruitful  and  healthy  coun- 
try;—and  carries  a  great  uniformity  of 
breadth,  from  400  to  000  yards,  except 
at  its  confluence  with  the  Mijffijippi,  and 
[6]  for  100  miles  above  it,  where  it  is  1000 
yards  wide.  The  Ohio,  for  the  greater 
part  of  the  way  to  the  MiJJiJippi,  has  many 
meanders,  or  windings,  and  rifing  grounds 
upon  both  fides  of  it. 

The  reaches  in  the  Ohio  are  in  fome 
parts  from  two  to  four  miles  in  length, 
and  one  of  them,  above  the  Mujkingum 
River,  called  the  Long  Reach,    is  fixteen 

77 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

miles  and  a  half  long.  The  Ohio,  a- 
bout  100  miles  above,  or  northerly  of  the 
Rapids,  (formerly  called  the  Faffs)  is  in 
many  places  700  yards  wide ;  and  as  it  ap- 
proaches them,  the  high  grounds  on  its 
borders  gradually  diminiih,  and  the  coun- 
try becomes  more  level.  Some  of  the 
banks,  or  heights  of  this  River,  are  at 
times  overflowed  by  great  fireflies,  yet  there 
is  fcarce  a  place  between  Fort  Pitt  and  the 
Rapids  (a  diftance  of  705  computed  miles) 
where  a  good  road  may  not  be  made;  and 
horfes  employed  in  drawing  up  large  barges 
(as  is  done  on  the  margin  of  the  River 
Thames  in  England,  and  the  Seine  in  France) 
againft  a  ftream  remarkably  gentle,  except 
in  high  frelhes.  The  heights  of  the  banks 
[7]  of  the  Ohio  admit  them  every  where  to 
be  fettled,  as  they  are  not  liable  to  crum- 
ble away.  And  to  thefe  Remarks,  it 
may  be  proper  to  add  the  following 
obfervations  of  the  ingenious  Mr.  Lewis 
Evans,  as  publifhed  in  the  Analyns  to 
his  Map  of  the  Middle  Colonies  of  North 
America,  in  the  year  1755.— He  fays, 
that  the  "  Ohio  River,  as  the  winter  fnows 
"  are    thawed,    by   the   warmth   or   rains 

78 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

"  in  the  fpring,  rifes  in  vaft  floods,  in 
"  fome  places,  exceeding  20  feet  in 
"  height,  but  fcarce  any  where  overflow- 
"  ing  its  high  and  upright  banks.  Thefe 
"  floods,  Mr.  Evans  adds,  continue  of 
"  fome  height  for  at  leaft  a  month  or 
"  two,  according  to  the  late  or  early  break- 
"  ing  up  of  the  winter.-  -Veffels  from 
"  100  to  200  tons  burthen,  by  taking 
"  the  advantage  of  thefe  floods,  may  go 
"  from  Pittlburg  to  the  Sea  with  fqfety,  as 
"  then  the  Falls,  Rifts,  and  Shoals  are 
"  covered  to  an  equality  with  the  reft  of 
"  the  River;— and  tho'  the  diftance  is  up- 
wards of  2000  miles  from  Fort  Pitt  to 
[8]  the  fea,  yet  as  there  are  no  obftructions, 
to  prevent  veflels  from  proceeding  both 
day  and  night,— I  am  perfuaded,  that 
this  extraordinary  Inland  Voyage  may 
be  performed,  during  the  feafon  of 
the  floods,  by  rowing,  in  fixteen  or  feven- 
teen  days. 

The  Navigation  of  the  Ohio  in  a  dry 
feafon,  is  rather  troublefome  from  Fort 
Pitt  to  the  Mingo  town,  (about  feventy-five 
miles)  but  from  thence  to  the  Mijjifippi, 
there  is  always  a  fuflicient  depth  of  water 

79 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

for  barges,  carrying  from  100  to  200  tons 
burthen,  built  in  the  manner  as  thofe  are 
which  are  ufed  on  the  River  Thames,  be- 
tween London  and  Oxford; — to  wit,  from 
100  to  120  feet  in  the  keel,  fixteen  to 
eighteen  feet  in  breadth,  and  four  feet  in 
depth,  and  when  loaded,  drawing  about 
three  feet  water. 

The  Rapids,  in  a  dry  feafon,  are  difficult 
to  defcend  with  loaded  boats  or  barges, 
without  a  good  Pilot;— it  would  be  ad- 
vifeable  therefore  for  the  Bargemen,  in  fuch 
feafon,  rather  than  run  any  rilk  in  palling 
[9]  them  to  unload  part  of  their  cargoes,  and 
l'efhip  it  when  the  barges  have  got  through 
the  Rapids.  It  may,  however,  be  proper 
to  obferve,  that  loaded  boats  in  frejhes,  have 
been  eafily  rowed  againft  the  ftream,  (up 
the  Rapids)  and  that  others,  by  means, 
only,  of  a  large  fail,  have  afcended  them. 

In  a  dry  feafon,  the  defcent  of  the  Ra- 
pids, in  the  diftance  of  a  mile,  is  about 
12,  or  15  feet,  and  the  paffage  down,  would 
not  be  difficult,  except,  perhaps,  for  the 
following  reafons.  Two  miles  above 
them,  the  River  is  deep,  and  three  quar- 
ters of  a  mile  broad ;  — but  the  channel  is 

80 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

much  contracted,  and  does  not  exceed  250 
yards  in  breadth;  (near  three-fourths  of 
the  bed  of  the  River,  on  the  fouth-eaftern 
fide  of  it — being  filled  with  a  flat  Lime- 
ftone  rock,  fo  that  in  a  dry  feafon,  there 
is  feldom  more  than  6  or  8  inches  wa- 
ter) it  is  upon  the  northern  fide  of 
the  River,  and  being  confined,  as  above- 
mentioned  ;  the  defcending  waters  tumble 
over  the  Rapids  with  a  confiderable  degree 
of  celerity  and  force.  The  channel  is  of 
different  depths,  but  no  where,  I  think, 
lefs  than  5  feet ;  — It  is  clear,  and  upon 
[10]  each  fide  of  it  are  large  broken  rocks, 
a  few  inches  under  water*.  The  Rapids 
are  nearly  in  Latitude  38°  8'  ;  —  and  the 
only  Indian  village  (in  170(3)  on  the  banks 
of  the  Ohio  River  between  them  and  Fort 

*  Colonel  Gordon,  in  his  Journal  down  the  Ohio  men- 
tions, "  that  thefe  Falls  do  not  deferve  that  Name,  as  the 
"  Stream  on  the  north  fide  has  no  hidden  pitch,  but  only 
"  runs  rapid  over  the  ledge  of  a  flat  rock;— feveral  boats,  he 
"  fays,  paffed  it  in  the  dryejl  feafon  of  the  year ;  unloading 
"  one  third  of  their  freight.  They  palled  on  the  north  fide, 
"  where  the  carrying-place  is  three  quarters  of  a  mile  long. 
"  On  the  fouth-eafl  fide,  it  is  about  half  that  diflance,  and  is 
"  reckoned  the  fafefl  pafl'age  for  thofe,  who  are  unacquainted 
"  with  it,  but  it  is  the  mofl  tedious,  as  during  par;  of  the  fum- 
"  mer,  and  Fall,  the  Battoemen  drag  their  boats  over  the 

81 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

Pitt,  was  on  the  north-weft  fide,  75  miles 
below  Pittjlmrgh,  called  the  Mingo  town; 
it  contained  GO  families. 

Moft  of  the  Hills  on  both  fides  of  the 
Ohio  are  filled  with  excellent  coal,  and  a  coal 
[11]  mine  was  in  the  year  17G0  opened  oppo- 
fite  to  Fort  Pitt  on  the  River  Monongahela, 
for  the  ufe  of  that  Garrifon.  Salt  Springs, 
as  well  as  Iron  Ore,  and  rich  Lead  3Iincs, 
are  found  bordering  upon  the  River  Ohio. 
One  of  the  latter,  is  opened  on  a  branch 
of  the  Sioto  River,  and  there,  the  Indian, 
natives  fupply  themfelves  with  a  confidera- 
ble  part  of  the  lead,  which  they  ufe  in  their 
wars,  and  hunting. 

About  584  miles  below  Fort  Pitt,  and 
on  the  eaftern  fide  of  the  Ohio  River,  a- 
bout  three  miles  from  it,  at  the  head  of  a 
fmall  Creek  or  Run,  where  are  feveral  large 
and  miry  Salt  Springs,  are  found  numbers 
of  large  bones,  teeth  and  tufks,  com- 
monly   fuppofed     to     be     thofe     of    Ele- 

"  flat  rock.  The  Fall  is  about  half  a  mile  rapid  water,  which 
"  however  is  paflable,  by  wading  and  dragging  the  boat 
"  againft  the  ftream,  when  lowejl,  and  with  flill  greater 
"  eafe,  when  the  water  is  railed  a  little." — 

See  the  annexed  Plan.  It  is  a  corrett  Delcription  of  thefe 
Rapids,  made  by  the  Editor,  on  the  l'pot  in  the  year  1766. 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

phants:  — but  the  celebrated  Doctor  Hunter 
of  London,  in  his  ingenious  and  curious 
Obfervations  on  thefe  bones,  &c.  has  fup- 
pofed  them  to  belong  to  fome  Carnivo- 
rous animal,  larger  than  an  ordinary  Ele- 
phant *. 

On  the  North-Weftern  fide  of  Ohio, 
about  11  miles  below  the  Cherokee  River, 
on  a  high  bank,  are  the  remains  of  Fort 
[12]  MaJJ'ac.  built  by  the  French,  and  in- 
tended as  a  check  to  the  Southern  Indians. 
It  was  deftroyed  by  them  in  the  year  1763. 
This  is  a  high,  healthy  and  delightful  fitu- 

ation.    A  great  variety  of  Game; Buffa- 

loe,  Sear,  Deer.  &c.  as  well  as  Ducks, 
Geefe,  Swans,  Turkies,  Pheafants,  Part- 
ridges, &c.  abounds  in  every  part  of  this 
country. 

The  Ohio,  and  the  Rivers  emptying  into 
it,  afford  green,  and  other  Turtle,  and  fifh 
of  various  forts; — particularly  Carp,  Stur- 
geon, Perch,  and  Cats;  the  two  latter  of 
an  uncommon  fize,  viz.  Perch,  from  8  to 
12  pounds  weight,  and  Cats  from  50  to 
100  pounds  weight. 

*  Set  Philofophical  TranfaSlions,  1768. 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

The  lands  upon  the  Ohio,  and  its  branch- 
es, are  differently  timbered   according  to 
their   quality    and    fituation.      The    high, 
and    dry    lands,    are    covered    with    Red, 
White  and  Black   Oak,  Hickory,   Walnut, 
Red  and  White  Mulberry  and  Afh  Trees,— 
Grape   Vines,  kc.     The  low  and  meadow 
lands     are     filled     with     Sycamore,     Pop- 
lar,  Red    and     White    Mulberry,    Cherry, 
Beech,  Elm,  A  [pen,  Maple,  or  Sugar  Trees, 
Grape   Vines,   &c.     And  below,  or  fouth- 
wardly   of  the   Rapids,   are   feveral    large 
[13]   Cedar  and  Cyprefs  Swamps,  where  the 
Cedar    and    Cyprefs    trees   grow   to   a    re- 
markable fize,  and  where  alfo  is  a  great 
abundance  of  Canes,  fuch  as  grow  in  South 
Carolina.     The  country  on    both   fides   of 
of  the  Ohio,  extending  South-eafterly,  and 
South-wefterly  from  Fort  Pitt  to  the  Mif- 
fifippi,  and  watered  by  the  Ohio  River,  and 
its  branches,  contains  at  leaft  a  million  of 
fquare  miles,   and  it  may,  with  truth,  be 
affirmed,    that    no    part   of   the    globe    is 
bleffed    with    a    more    healthful    air,     or 
climate ;  —  *  watered    with    more    naviga- 

*  Colonel  Gordon,  in  his  Journal,  gives  the  following 
Description  of  the  foil  and  climate.    "  The  country  on  the 
84 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

ble  rivers  and  branches  communicating 
[14]  with  the  Atlantick  Ocean,  by  the  ri- 
vers Potoxvmack,  James,  Rappahannock, 
Mijfijippi,  and  St.  Lawrence,  or  capable 
of  producing  with  lefs  labour  and  ex- 
pence,  Wheat,  Indian  Corn,  Buck-wheat, 
Rye,  Outs,  Barley,  Flax,  Hemp,  Tobacco, 
Rice.  Silk,  Pot-q/h,  &c.  than  the  country 
under  coniideration.  And  although  there 
are  confiderable  quantities  of  high  lands 
for  about  250  miles  (on  both  fides  of 
the  river  Ohio)  fouthwardly  from  Fori  Pitt, 
yet  even  the  fummits  of  moft  of  the 
Hills  are  covered  with  a  deep  rich  foil, 
fit  for  the  culture  of  Flax  and  Hemp,  and 
it  may  alio  be  added,  that  no  foil  can  pof- 

"  Ohio,  &c.  is  every  where  pleafant,  with  large  level  fpots  of 
"  rich  land,  remarkably  healthy.— One  general  remark  of 
"  this  nature  may  ferve  for  the  whole  tract  of  the  Globe, 
"  comprehended  between  the  Weftem  fkirts  of  the  Alle- 
"  gheny  mountains,  beginning  at  Fort  Legoxier,  thence 
"  bearing  South-weflerly  to  the  diftance  of  500  miles  oppo- 
"  lite  to  the  Ohio  Falls,  then  eroding  them  Northerly  t<>  the 
"  heads  of  the  Rivers,  that  empty  themfelves  into  the  Ohio; 
"  thence  Eafl  along  the  ridge,  that  leparates  the  Lakes  and 
"  Ohio's  Streams  to  French  Creek,  which  isoppofite  t<> 
"  the   above-mentioned    Fort    Legoxier,   Northerly. — This 


-:. 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

fibly  yield  larger  crops  of  red  and  white 
Clover,  and  other  ufeful  grafs,  than  this 
does. 

On  the  North-weft  and  South-cajl  fides 
of  the  O/iio,  below  the  Great  Kanhawa 
River,  at  a  little  diftance  from  it,  are  exten- 
five  natural  meadows,  or  Savannahs.  Thefe 
[15]  meadows  are  from  20  to  50  miles  in  cir- 
cuit. They  have  many  beautiful  groves 
of  trees  interfperfed,  as  if  by  art  in  them, 
and  which  ferve  as  a  lhelter  for  the  innu- 
merable herds  of  Buffaloe,  Deer,  &c.  with 
which  they  abound  *. 

"  country  may,  from  a  proper  knowledge,  be  affirmed  to  be 
"  the  moft  healthy,  the  moll  pleafant,  the  mofl  commodious, 
"  and  mofl  fertile  (pot  on  earth,  known  to  European  people." 

*  I  am  obliged  to  a  worthy  Friend,  and  Countryman,  for 
the  following  jufl,  and  judicious  obfervations.  They  were 
addrefi'ed  to  the  Earl  of  Hilllborough,  in  the  year  1770, — 
When  Secretary  of  State  for  the  North-American  depart- 
ment. 

"  No  part  of  North-America,  he  fays,  will  require  lei's 
"  encouragement  for  the  production  of  naval  flores,  and  raw 
"  materials  for  manufactories  in  Europe;  and  for  fupplying 
"  the  Weft-India  illands  with  Lumber,  Provifions,  &c.  than 
"  the  country  of  the  Ohio; — and  for  the  following  reafons: 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 


[16]  Having  made  thefe  Obfervations,— 
1  proceed  to  give  a  brief  Account  of  the  fe- 
veral  Rivers  and  Creeks  which  fall  into 
the  River  Ohio. 

"  Firft,  The  lands  are  excellent,  the  climate  temperate, 
•'  the  native  urapes,  (ilk-worms,  and  mulberry  trees,  abound 
"  everywhere:  hemp,  hops,  and  rye,  grow  (pontaneoufly  in 
"  the  valleys  and  low  lauds,  lead,  and  iron  ore  are  plenty  in 
"  tin-  hills,  fait  Springs  .ire  innumerable  ;  and  no  Soil  is  bet- 
"  ter  adapted  to  the  culture  of  Tobacco,  Flax  and  Cotton, 
"  than  that  of  the  Ohio. 

■•  Second,  The  country  is  well  watered  by  feveral  navi- 
"  gable  Rivers,  communicating  with  each  other;  by  which, 
"  and  a  lhort  land  carriage,  the  produce  of  the  Lands  of  the 
"  Ohio  can,  even  now,  (in  the  year  1772)  "  be  Cent  cheaper 
"  to  the  Sea-port  Town  of  Alexandria,  on  the  River  PotO- 
"  mack  in  Virginia  (where  General  Braddock's  Tranrports 
"  landed  his  troops)  than  any  kind  of  Merchandise,  is  lent 
"   from  Northampton  to  London. 

"  Third,  The  River  Ohio  is  at  all feafons  of  tin-  year. 
"  navigable  with  large  Boats,  like  the  Weft  Country  Barges, 
"  rowed  only  by  four  or  live  men;  and  from  the  month  of 
"  February  to  April  large  Ships  may  be  built  on  the  Ohio, 
"  and  lent  to  Sea  laden  with  Hemp,  Iron,  Flax,  Silk,  Tobacco, 

"  Cotton,  Pot-afli,  &c. 

"  Fourth,  Flour,  Corn,  Beef,  Ship  Plank,  and  other  ufe- 
"  ful  articles,  can  be  lent  don'it  the  Stream  of  Ohio  to  Well- 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

[17]  Canawagy,  when  raifed  by  frefhes,  is 
paffable  with  fmall  Battoes,  to  a  little  Lake 

"  Florida,  and  from  thence  to  the  Wefl-India  iflands,  much 
"  cheaper,  and  in  better  order,  than  from  New  York  or  Phil- 
"  adelphia,  to  thefe  iflands. 

"  Fifth,  Hemp,  Tobacco,  Iron,  and  fuch  bulky  articles 
"  may  alfo  be  Tent  down  the  dream  of  the  Ohio  to  the  Sea, 
"  at  leafl  50  per  cent,  cheaper  than  thefe  articles  were  ever 
"  carried  by  a  Land  Carriage,  of  only  60  miles  in  Pennfyl- 
"  vania  ; — where  waggonage  is  cheaper,  than  in  any  other 
"  part  of  North-America. 

"  Sixth,  The  Expence  of  tranlporting  European  Manu- 
"  factories  from  the  Sea  to  the  Ohio,  will  not  be  fo  much,  as 
"  is  now  paid,  and  mufl  ever  be  paid,  to  a  great  part  of  the 
"  Counties  of  Pennfylvania,  Virginia,  and  Maryland. 
"  Whenever  the  Farmers,  or  Merchants  of  Ohio,  ihall  prop- 
"  erly  underftand  the  bufinefs  of  tranfportation,  they  will 
"  build  Schooners,  Sloops,  &c.  on  the  Ohio,  fuitable  for  the 
"  Wefl-India,  or  European  Markets  ;  or,  by  having  Black- 
"  Walnut,  Cherry-tree,  Oak,  &c.  properly  fawed  for  foreign 
"  Markets,  and  formed  into  Rafts,  in  the  manner,  that  is  now 
"  done  by  the  Settlers  near  the  upper  parts  of  Delaware 
"  River  in  Pennfylvania,  and  thereon  flow  their  Hemp,  Iron, 
"  Tobacco,  &c.  and  proceed  with  them  to  New  Orleans. 

"  It  may  not,  perhaps,  be  amifs,  to  obferve,    that  large 

"  quantities  of  Flour  are  made  in  the  diflant  (ivefiem)  Coun- 

"  ties  of  Pennfylvania,  and  Cent  by  an  expeniive  Land  Car- 
88 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

at  its  [18]  head; — from  thence  there  is  a 
portage  of  20  miles  to  Lake  Erie,  at  the 
mouth  of  Jaddghque.  This  portage  is  fel- 
dom  ufed,  beeaufe  Canawagy  has  fcarcely 
any  water  in  it  in  a  dry  feafon. 

Bughaloons,  is  not  navigable ;  but  is  re- 
markable for  extenfive  meadows  bordering 
upon  it. 

[19]  French  Creek  affords  the  neareft  paf- 

"  riage  to  the  City  of  Philadelphia,  and  from  thence  fliipped 
"  to  South  Carolina,  and  to  Eafl  and  Well  Florida,  there 
"  being  little,  or  no  Wheat  railed  in  thel'e  Provinces.  The 
"  River  Ohio  Teems  kindly  deiigned  by  nature,  as  the  Chan- 
"  nel  through  which  the  two  Floridas  may  be  lupplied  with 
"  Flour,  not  only  for  their  own  Confumption,  but  alio  for  the 
"  carrying  on  an  extenfive  Commerce  with  Jamaica  and  the 
"  Spanilh  Settlements  in  the  Bay  of  Mexico.  Millflones  in 
"  abundance  are  to  be  obtained  in  the  Hills  near  the  Ohio, 
"  and  the  country  is  every  where  well  watered  with  large,  and 
"  conflant  Springs  and  Streams,  for  Grift,  and  other  Mills. 
"  The  paff'age  from  Philadelphia  to  Pennl'acola,  is  leldom 
"  made  in  lefs  than  a  Month,  and  lixty  lhilings  fterling  per 
"  ton,  freight  ( confiding  of  fixteen  barrels)  is  ufually  paid 
"  for  Flour,  &c.  thither.  Boats  carrying  800,  or  1000  barrels 
"  of  Flour,  may  go  in  about  the  fame  time  from  the  Ohio, 
"  (even  from  PitiJ 'burgh)  as  from  Philadelphia  to  Pennfa- 
"  cola,  and  for  half  the  above  freight,  the  Ohio  Merchants 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

fage  to  Lake  Erie.  It  is  navigable  with 
fmall  boats  to  Lc  Beuf,  by  a  very  crooked 
Channel ;  the  portage  thence  to  Pre} quite, 
from  an  adjoining  Peninfula,  is  15  miles. 
This  is  the  ufual  Route  from  Quebec  to  Ohio. 

Licking  and  Lacomic  Creeks  do  not  afford 
any  Navigation ;  but  there  is  plenty  of 
coals,  and  ftones  for  building  in  the  Hills, 
which  adjoin  them. 

Toby's  Creek  is  deep  enough  for  Batteaus 
for  a  confiderable  way  up,  thence  by  a 
fhort  portage  to  the  Weft  branch  of  Sufque- 
hunnalt,  a  good  communication  is  car- 
ried on  between  Oliio  and  the  eaftern  parts 
of  Pennfylvania. 

MoghulbughMtum,  is  paffable  alfo  by  flat 
bottom  boats  in  the  fame  manner  as  Toby's 

"  would  be  able  to  deliver  Flour,  &c.  there,  in  much  better 
"  order,  than  from  Philadelphia,  and  without  incurring  the 
"  damage  and  delay  of  the  Tea,  and  charges  of  infurance,  &c. 
"  as  from  thence  to  Pennfacola. 

"  This  is  not  meer  Speculation  ;  for  it  is  a  fact,  that  about 
"  the  year  1746  there  was  a  great  ("carcity  of  provifions  at 
"  New  Orleans,  and  the  French  Settlements,  at  the  Illinois, 
"  fmall  as  they  then  were,  fent  thither  in  one  winter,  upwards 
"  of  eight  hundred  thoui'and  weight  of  Flour." 
90 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

Creek  is  to  Sufquehanna,  and  from  thence 
to  all  the  Settlements  in  Northumberland 
county,  &c.  in  Penni'ylvania. 

Kijhheniinetas,  is  navigable  in  like  man- 
ner as  the  preceding  Creeks,  for  between  40 
and  50  miles,  and  good  portages  are  found 
between  Kifhkeminetas,  Juniatta,  and  Poto- 
mac Rivers. — Coal  and  Salt  are  difcovered 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  tliefe  Rivers. 

[20]  Monongahela  is  a  large  River,  and  at 
its  junction  with  the  Allegheny  River  ftands 
Fort  Pitt.  It  is  deep,  and  gentle,  and  nav- 
igable with  Battoes  and  Barges,  beyond  Red 
Stone  Creek,  and  ftill  farther  with  lighter 
craft.  At  fixteen  miles  from  its  mouth, 
is  Youghiogeny ;  This  River  is  navigable 
with  Batteaux  or  Barges  to  the  foot  of 
Laurel  Hill. 

Beaver  Creek  has  water  fufficient  for  flat 
bottom  boats.  At  Kijhlcujkes  (about  1G 
miles  up)  are  two  branches  of  this  Creek, 
which  fpread  oppofite  ways ;  one  interlocks 
with  French  Creek  and  Cherage, — the  other 
with  Mvjkingum  and  Cayahoga;  on  this 
branch,  about  thirty-five  miles  above  the 
Forks,  are  many  Salt-Springs.  —  Cayahoga 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

is  practicable  with  Canoes  about  twenty 
miles  farther. 

Mujkingiim  is  a  fine  gentle  River,  con- 
fined by  high  banks,  which  prevent  its 
floods  from  overflowing  the  furrounding 
Land.  It  is  250  yards  wide  at  its  conflu- 
ence with  the  Ohio,  and  navigable,  with- 
out any  obftru£tions,  by  large  Battoes  or 
Barges,  to  the  three  Legs's,  and  by  fmall 
ones  to  a  little  Lake  at  its  head. 

[21]  From  thence  to  Cuyahoga,  (the  Creek 
that  leads  to  Lake  Erie)  The  Mufkingum 
is  muddy,  and  not  very  fwift,  but  no 
where  obftru6ted  with  Falls  or  Rifts.  Here 
are  fine  Uplands,  extenfive  meadows,  oak 
and  mulberry  trees  fit  for  Ship  building, 
and  Walnut,  Chef  nut,  and  Poplar  trees  fuit- 
able  for  domeftic  ferv\ces.---Cayahoga  fur- 
nifhes  the  belt  portage  between  Ohio  and 
Lake  Erie;  at  its  mouth  it  is  wide  and  deep 
enough  to  receive  large  Sloops  from  the 
Lake.  It  will  hereafter  be  a  place  of  great 
importance. 

Mufkingum  in  all  its  wide-extended 
branches,  is  furrounded  by  molt  excellent 
land,  and  abounds  in  Springs,  and  conve- 
niences particularly  adapted  to  fettlements 

92 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 


remote  from  Sea  Navigation; ---fuch  as 
Salt  Springs,  Coal,  Clay  and  Free  Stone. — 
In  1748  a  Coal  mine  oppofite  to  Lamen/hi- 
cola  mouth  took  fire,  and  continued  burning 
above  twelve  months,  but  great  quanti- 
ties of  coal  ftill  remain  in  it.  Near  the 
fame  place  are  excellent  Whetftones,  and 
about  8  miles  higher  up  the  River,  is  plenty 
of  White  and  Bine  Clay  for  Glafs  works  and 
Pottery. 

[22]  Hockhocking  is  navigable  with  large 
flat  bottom  boats  between  feventy  and 
eighty  miles ;  it  has  fine  meadows  with  high 
banks,  which  feldom  overflow,  and  rich 
Uplands  on  its  borders.  Coal,  and  quarries 
of  Free/tone  are  found  about  15  miles  up 
this  Creek. 

Big  Kanhawa  falls  into  the  Ohio  upon  its 
fouth-eaftern  fide,  and  is  fo  confiderable  a 
branch  of  this  River,  that  it  may  be  mil- 
taken  for  the  Ohio  itfelf  by  perfons  af- 
cending  it.  It  is  flow  for  ten  miles,  to 
little  broken  Hills,--the  low  land  is  very  rich, 
and  of  about  the  fame  breadth  (from  the 
Pipe  Hills  to  the  Falls)  as  upon  the  Ohio. 
After  going  10  miles  up  Kanhawa  the  land 
is  hilly,  and  the  water  a  little  rapid  for  50 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

or  60  miles  further  to  the  Falls,  yet  Bat- 
teaus  or  Barges  may  be  eafily  rowed  thither. 
Thefe  Falls  were  formerly  thought  im- 
pqffable;  but  late  difcoveries  have  proved, 
that  a  waggon  road  may  be  made  through 
the  mountain,  which  occafions  the  Falls, 
and  that  by  a  portage  of  a  few  miles  only, 
a  communication  may  be  had  between  the 
waters  of  Great  Kanhawa  and  Ohio,  and 
thofe  of  James  River  in  Virginia. 

[23]  Tottery  lies  upon  the  fouth-eaftern 
fide  of  the  Ohio,  and  is  navigable  with  Bat- 
teaux  to  the  Oua/ioto  mountains.  It  is  a 
long  River,  has  few  branches,  and  interlocks 
with  Red  Creek,  or  Clinche's  River  (a 
branch  of  the  Cuttawa).-- And  has  below 
the  mountains,  efpecially  for  15  miles  from 
its  mouth,  very  good  land.  Here  is  a 
perceptible  difference  of  Climate  between 
the  upper  and  this  part  of  Ohio.  Here 
the  large  Reed  or  Carolina  Cane  grows  in 
plenty,  even  upon  the  Upland,  and  the  win- 
ter is  fo  moderate  as  not  to  deftroy  it.  The 
fame  moderation  of  climate  continues  down 
Ohio,  efpecially  on  the  fouth-eaft  fide  to 
the  Rapids,  and  thence  on  both  fides  of  that 
River  to  the  Mijfijippi. 

94 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

Great  Salt  Lick  Creek,  is  remarkable  for 
fine  land,  plenty  of  Buffaloes,  Salt  Springs, 
White  Chtii.  and  Lime  Stone.  Small  Boats 
may  go  to  the  eroding  of  the  war  Path  with- 
out any  impediment.  The  Salt  Springs 
render  the  waters  unfit  for  drinking,  but 
the  plenty  of  frefh  fprings  in  their  vici- 
nity, make  fuffieient  amends  for  this  in- 
convenience. 

Kentucke  is  larger  than  the  preceding 
Creek;  it  is  furrounded  with  high  clay 
[24]  banks,  fertile  lands,  and  large  fait 
Springs.  Its  Navigation  is  interrupted  by 
fhoals,  but  paffable  with  final]  boats  to  the 
gap,  where  the  xeur  path  goes  through  the 
Ouajioto  mountains. 

Sioto,  is  a  large  gentle  River  bordered 
with  rich  Flats,  or  Meadows.  It  over- 
flows in  the  fpring,  and  then  fpreads  about 
half  a  mile,  tho'  when  confined  within 
its  banks  it  is  fcarce  a  furlong  wide. 

If  it  floods  early,  it  feldom  retires  within 
its  banks  in  lefs  than  a  month,  and  is  not 
fordable  frequently  in  lefs  than  two  months. 

The  Sioto,  befides  having  a  great  extent 
of  molt  excellent  land  on  both  fides  of  the 
River,  is  furnithed  with  Salt,  on  an  eaftern 

95 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

branch,  and  Red  Bole  on  Necunjia  Skeintat. 
The  Stream  of  Sioto  is  gentle  and  paflable 
with  large  Battoes  or  Barges  for  a  confider- 
able  way,  and  with  fmaller  boats,  near  200 
miles  to  a  portage,  of  only  four  miles  to 
Sandufky. 

Sandujky  is  a  confiderable  River  abound- 
ing in  level  land,  its  Stream  gentle  all  the 
way  to  the  mouth,  where  it  is  large  enough 
to  receive  Sloops.  The  Northern  Indians 
crofs  [25]  Lake  Erie  here  from  Ifland  to 
Ifland,  land  at  Sandujky,  and  go  by  a  di- 
rect path  to  the  lower  Shawanoe  town,  and 
thence  to  the  gap  of  the  Ouafioto  Moun- 
tain, in  their  way  to  the  Cuttawa  country. 

Little  Mineami  River  is  too  fmall  to  na- 
vigate with  Batteaux.  It  has  much  fine  land 
and  feveral  Salt  Springs;  its  high  banks 
and  gentle  current  prevent  its  much  over- 
flowing the  furrounding  lands  in  frefhes. 

Great  Mineami,  AJfereniet  or  Roeky 
River,  has  a  very  ftony  Channel ;  a  fwift 
Stream,  but  no  Falls.  It  has  feveral  large 
branches,  paflable  with  boats  a  great  way; 
one  extending  weftward  towards  the  Quia- 
ghtena  River,  another  towards  a  branch 
of  Mineami  River   (which  runs  into  Lake 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

Erie)  to  which  there  is  a  portage,  and  a 
third  has  a  portage  to  the  weft  branch  of 
Sandvjky,  befides  Mad  Creek  where  the 
Frenelt  formerly  eftablifhed  themfelves. 
Rifing  ground,  here  and  there  a  little  ftony, 
which  begins  in  the  northern  part  of  the  Pe- 
ninfula,  between  the  Lakes  Erie,  Huron  and 
Michigan  and  extend  acrofs  little  Mineami 
River  below  the  Forks,  and  fouthwardly  a- 
long  the  Rocky  River,  to  Ohio. 

[26]  Buffaloe  River  falls  into  the  Ohio  on 
the  eaftern  tide  of  it,  at  the  diftance  of  025 
computed  miles  from  Fort  Pitt.  It  is  a 
very  confiderable  branch  of  the  Ohio;  is 
200  yards  wide,  navigable  upwards  of  150 
miles  for  Battoes  or  Barges,  of  30  feet  long, 
5  feet  broad,  and  3  feet  deep,  carrying  a- 
bout  7  tons,  and  can  be  navigated  much 
farther,  with  large  canoes.  The  Stream 
is  moderate.  The  Lands  on  both  fides  of 
this  River  are  of  a  moft  luxuriant  quality, 
for  the  production  of  Hemp,  Flax,  Wheat, 
Tobacco,  §c.  They  are  covered  with  a 
great  variety  of  lofty,  and  ufeful  timber; 
as  Oak,  Hickory,  Mulberry,  Elm,  §c.  Se- 
veral perfons  who  have  afcended  this  River, 
fay,  that  S<dt  Springs,  Coal,  Lime  and  Free 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

Stone,  &c.  are  to  be  found  in  a  variety  of 
places. 

The  Wabajh,  is  a  beautiful  River,  with 
high  and  upright  banks,  lefs  fubject  to  o- 
verflow,  than  any  other  River  (the  Ohio  ex- 
cepted')  in  this  part  of  America.  It  dif- 
charges  itfelf  into  the  Ohio,  one  thoufand 
and  twenty  two  miles  below  Fort  Pitt,  in 
latitude  37°  41'  .—at  its  mouth,  it  is  270 
yards  wide;  Is  navigable  to  Ouiatanon 
[27]  (412  miles)  in  the  Spring,  Summer, 
and  Autumn,  with  Battoes  or  Barges,  draw- 
ing about  three  feet  water.  From  thence, 
on  account  of  a  rocky  bottom,  and  fhoal 
water,  large  canoes  are  chiefly  employed, 
except  when  the  River  is  fwelled  with 
Rains,  at  which  time,  it  may  be  afcended 
with  boats,  fuch  as  I  have  juft  defcribed, 
(197  miles  further)  to  the  3Iiami  carrying- 
place,  which  is  nine  miles  from  the  Miami 
village,  and  this  is  fituated  on  a  River  of 
the  fame  name,  that  runs  into  the  fouth- 
fouth-weft  part  of  Lake  Erie.—  The  Stream 
of  the  Wabafh,  is  generally  gentle  to  Fort 
Ouiatanon,  and  no  where  obftru6ted  with 
Falls,  but  is  by  feveral  Rapids,  both  above 
and  below  that  Fort,  fome  of  which  are 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

pretty  conliderable.  There  is  alfo  a  part  of 
the  River  for  about  three  miles,  and  :50 
miles  from  the  carrying-place,  where  the 
Channel  is  fo  narrow,  that  it  is  neceffary  to 
make  ufe  of  fetting  poles,  inftead  of  oars. 
The  land  on  this  River  is  remarkably  fer- 
tile, and  feveral  parts  of  it  are  natural  mea- 
dows, of  great  extent,  covered  with  fine 
long  grafs. — The  timber  is  large,  and  high, 
and  in  fueh  variety,  that  almoft  all  the  dif- 
[28]  ferent  kinds  growing  upon  the  Ohio, 
and  its  branches  (but  with  a  greater  propor- 
tion of  black  and  white  mulberry-trees)  may 
be  found  here.---A  filver  mine  has  been  dif- 
covered  about  28  miles  above  Ouiatanon, 
on  the  northern  fide  of  the  Wabqfh,  and 
probably  others  may  be  found  hereafter. 
The  Wabqfh  abounds  with  Salt  Springs, 
and  any  quantity  of  fait  may  be  made  from 
them,  in  the  manner  now  done  at  the  Saline 
in  the  Illinois  country : ---the  hills  are  re- 
plenifhed  with  the  beft  coal,  and  there  is 
plenty  of  Lime  and  Free  Stone,  Blue,  Yellow 
and  White  Clan,  for  Glafs  Works  and  Pot- 
ter//. Two  French  fettlements  are  eftab- 
liihed  on  the  Wabqfh,  called  Pofl  J'ineient 
and  Ouiatanon;   the  firft  is  150  miles,  and 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

the  other  262  miles  from  its  mouth.     The 
former  is  on  the  eaftern  fide  of  the  River, 
and  confifts  of  00  fettlers  and  their  families. 
They    raife    Indian    Corn,- --Wheat;     and 
Tobacco    of    an    extraordinary    good    qua- 
lity ;---fuperior,    it    is   faid,    to    that    pro- 
duced in  Virginia.     They  have  a  fine  breed 
of  horfes  (brought  originally  by  the  Indians 
from  the  Spanijh  fettlements  on  the  weft- 
ern  fide  of  the  River  Mijffijippi)  and  large 
[29]  flocks  of  Swine,  and  Black  Cattle.   The 
fettlers  deal  with  the  natives  for  Furrs  and 
Deer  Ikins,  to  the  amount  of  about  5000  1. 
annually.     Hemp   of  good   texture   grows 
fpontaneouily  in  the  low  lands  of  the  Wa- 
bq/h,  as  do  Grapes  in  the  greateft  abundance, 
having  a  black,   thin   flcin,    and    of  which 
the    inhabitants    in  the  Autumn,   make  a 
fufficient  quantity  (for  their  own  confump- 
tion)  of  xvcll-tajted  Red-  Wine.     Hops  large 
and  good,  are  found  in  many  places,  and 
the  lands  are  particularly  adapted  to  the 
culture  of  Rice.     All  European  fruits;--- 
Apples,  Peaches,  Pears,  Cherrys,  Currents, 
Goofberrys,   Melons,   &c.  thrive  well,  both 
here,  and  in  the  country  bordering  on  the 
River  Ohio. 

100 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

Ouiatanon  is  a  fmall  ftockaded  fort  on 
the  weftern  fide  of  the  Wabqfh,  in  which 
about  a  dozen  families  refide.  The  neigh- 
bouring Indians  are  the  Kickapoos,  Miifqiri- 
tons,  Pyankijhaws,  and  a  principal  part  of 
the  Ouiatanons.  The  whole  of  thefe  tribes 
confifts,  it  is  fuppofed,  of  about  one  thou- 
fand  warriors.  The  fertility  of  foil,  and 
diverfity  of  timber  in  this  country,  are 
the  fame  as  in  the  vicinity  of  Pqfi  Undent. 
[:$o]  The  annual  amount  of  Skins  and  Furrs, 
obtained  at  Ouiatanon  is  about  8000  1.  By 
the  River  Wabq/h,  the  inhabitants  of  Detroit 
move  to  the  fouthern  parts  of  Ohio,  and  the 
Illinois  country.  Their  rout  is  by  the 
Miami  River  to  a  carrying-place,  which,  as 
before  ftated,  is  nine  miles  to  the  Wabqfh, 
when  this  River  is  raifed  with  Frefiies;  but 
at  other  feafons,  the  diftance  is  from  18  to 
30  miles  including  the  portage.  The 
whole  of  the  latter  is  through  a  level  coun- 
try. Carts  are  ufually  employed  in  tranf- 
porting  boats  and  merchandise,  from  the 
Miami  to  the  Wabqfh  River. 

The  Shavcanoe  River  empties  itfelf  on  the 
eaftern  fide  of  Ohio,  about  95  miles  fouth- 
wardly   of  the    Wabq/h  River.      It  is  250 

101 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

yards  wide  at  its  mouth,  has  been  navi- 
gated 180  miles  in  Battoes  of  the  construc- 
tion of  thofe  mentioned  in  the  preceeding 
article,  and  from  the  depth  of  water,  at 
that  diftance  from  its  mouth,  it  is  pre- 
fumed,  it  may  be  navigated  much  further. 
The  foil  and  timber  of  the  lands,  upon 
this  River,  are  exactly  the  fame  as  thofe 
upon  Buffahe  River. 

[31]  The  Cherokee  River  difcharges  itfelf 
into  the  Ohio  on  the  fame  fide,  that  the 
Shawanoe  River  does,  that  is,  ---13  miles 
below  or  foutherly  of  it,  and  11  miles  above, 
or  northerly  of  the  place  where  Fort  Maf- 
fac  formerly  ftood,  and  57  miles  from  the 
confluence  of  the  Ohio  with  the  River  Mif- 
Ji/ippi.— The  Cherokee  River  has  been  navi- 
gated 900  miles  from  its  mouth.  At  the  dif- 
tance of  220  miles  from  thence,  it  widens 
from  400  yards  (its  general  width)  to  be- 
tween two  and  three  miles,  and  continues 
this  breadth  for  near  thirty  miles  farther. 
The  whole  of  this  diftance,  is  called  the 
Mufcle  Shoals.  Here  the  Channel  is  ob- 
structed with  a  number  of  Iflands,  formed 
by  trees  and  drifted  wood,  brought  hither, 
at  different  feafons  of  the  year,  in  frefhes  and 

102 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

floods.  In  palling  thefe  iflands.  the  middle  of 
the  wideft  intermediate  water,  is  to  be  navi- 
gated, as  there  it  is  deepeft.  From  the 
mouth  of  the  Cherokee  River  to  Mufcle 
Shoals  the  current  is  moderate,  and  both 
the  high  and  low  lands  are  rich,  and  abun- 
dantly covered  with  Oaks,  Walnut,  Sugar- 
trees,  Hickory,  &c.— About  200  miles 
above  thefe  Ihoals,  is,  what  is  called,  the 
[32]  Whirl,  or  Suck,  occalioned,  I  imagine, 
by  the  high  mountain,  which  there  confines 
the  River  (fuppofed  to  be  the  Laurel  moun- 
tain.) The  Whirl,  or  Suck  continues  ra- 
pid for  about  three  miles.  Its  width  about 
50  yards.  Afcending  the  Cherokee  River, 
and  at  about  100  miles  from  the  Suck,  and 
upon  the  fouth  eaftern  fide  of  that  River, 
is  Highwafee  River.  Vaft  traces  of  level 
and  rich  land  border  on  this  River ;  but  at 
a  fmall  diltance  from  it,  the  country  is 
much  broken,  and  fome  parts  of  it  pro- 
duce only  Pine  Trees.  Forty  miles  higher 
up  the  Cherokee  River  on  the  north  weftern 
fide,  is  Clinche's  liner.  It  is  150  yards 
wide,  and  about  50  miles  up  it  feveral  fa- 
milies are  fettled.  From  Clinche's  to  Te- 
nefee  River  is  100  miles.     It  comes  in  on 

103 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

the  eaftern  fide,  and  is  250  yards  wide. 
About  10  miles  up  this  River,  is  a  Cherokee 
town,  called  Chota,  and  further  up  this 
branch,  are  feveral  other  Indian  towns, 
pofieffed  by  Indians,  called,  the  over  hill 
Cherokees.  The  navigation  of  this  branch, 
is  much  interrupted  by  rocks,  as  is  alfo  the 
River,  called,  French  Broad,  which  comes 
into  the  Cherokee  River  50  miles  above  the 
[33]  Tenefee,  and  on  the  fame  fide.  150 
miles  above  French  Broad  is  Long-  I/land 
(three  miles  in  length)  and  from  thence  to 
the  fource  of  the  Cherokee  River  is  00  miles, 
and  the  whole  diftance  is  fo  rocky,  as  to  be 
fcarcely  navigable  with  a  canoe. 

By  the  Cherokee  River,  the  emigrants 
from  the  frontier  counties  of  Virginia, 
and  North  Carolina,  pafs  to  the  fettlements 
in  Weft  Florida,  upon  the  River  Mijjijippi. 
They  embark  at  Long  I/land. 

I  now  proceed  to  give  a  Defcription  of 
that  part  of  my  Map  called  the  Illinois 
country,  lying  between  the  Mijjijippi  weft- 
erly,  the  Illinois  River  northerly,  the  Wa- 
bajh  eafterly,  and  the  Ohio  foutherly. 

The  land  at  the  confluence,  or  Fork  of 
the  Rivers  Mijjijippi  and  Ohio,  is  above  20 

104 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

feet  higher  than  the  common  furface  of 
these  Rivers;  yet  fo  considerable  are  the 
Spring  floods,  that  it  is  generally  overflowed 
for  about  a  week,  as  are  the  lands  for  feveral 
miles  back  in  the  country. — The  foil  at  the 
Fork  is  compofed  of  Mud,  Earth  and  Sand, 
accumulated  from  the  Ohio  and  MiJJiJippi 
Rivers.  It  is  exceedingly  fertile,  and  in  its 
na-  [34]  tural  ftate,  yields  Hemp,  Pea- 
Vines,  Grafs,  d§c.  and  a  great  variety  of 
trees,  and  in  particular,  the  A/pen  Tree  of 
an  unufual  height  and  thicknefs. 

For  25  miles  up  the  MiJ/i/ippi  (from  the 
Ohio)  the  country  is  rich,  level  and  well 
timbered; — and  then  feveral  gentle  rifing 
grounds  appear,  which  gradually  dimi- 
nifh  at  the  diftance  of  between  four  and  five 
miles  eaftward  from  the  River.  From 
thence  to  the  Kafkqfkias  River  is  65  miles. 
The  country  is  a  mixture  of  hills  and  val- 
lies;  fome  of  the  former  are  rocky  and 
fteep ;  —  but  they,  as  well  as  the  vallies, 
are  fliaded  with  fine  Oaks,  Hickory, 
Walnut,  Afli,  and  Mulberry  trees,  &c. 
Some  of  the  high  grounds  afford  moil 
pleafant  Situations  for  Settlements.  Their 
elevated,  and  airy  pofitions,  together  with 

105 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

the  great  luxuriance  of  the  Soil,  every 
where  yielding  plenty  of  Grafs,  and  ufeful 
plants,  promife  health,  and  ample  returns 
to  induftrious  fettlers. 

Many  quarries  of  Lime,  Free  Jione  and 
Marble  have  been  difcovered  in  this  part  of 
the  country. 

[35]  Several  Creeks,  and  Rivers  fall  into 
the  MiJJiJippi,  in  the  above  diftance  (of  65 
miles)  but  no  remarkable  ones,  except  the 
Rivers  a  Vaje  and  Kq/kq/kias; — the  for- 
mer is  navigable  for  Battoes  about  GO, 
and  the  latter  for  about  130  miles;  — 
both  thefe  Rivers  run  through  a  rich  coun- 
try, abounding  in  extenfive,  natural  mea- 
dows, and  numberlefs  herds  of  Buffaloe, 
Deer,  &c. 

The  high  grounds,  juft  mentioned,  con- 
tinue along  the  eaftern  fide  of  the  Kqfkaf- 
Jcias  River  at  a  fmall  diftance  from  it,  for 
the  fpace  of  five  miles  and  a  half,  to  the 
Kajkajteas  village;  then  they  incline  more 
towards  that  River,  and  run  nearly  parallel 
with  the  eaftern  bank  of  the  MiJJiJippi, 
at  the  diftance  of  about  three  miles  in 
fome  parts,  and  four  miles  in  other 
parts    from    it.     Thefe    principally    com- 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

poled  of  Lime  and  Free  Stone,  and  are 
from  100  to  130  feet  high,  divided  in 
feveral  places  by  deep  cavities,  through 
which  many  fmall  rivulets  pafs  before  they 
fall  into  the  MiJ/iJippi.  The  fides  of  thefe 
hills,  fronting  this  River,  are  in  many 
places  perpendicular, — and  appear  like  fo- 
[30]  lid  pieces  of  Stone  Mafonry,  of  various 
colours,  figures  and  fizes. 

The  low  land  between  the  Hills  and 
the  MiJJiJii'pi.  begins  on  the  north  fide  of 
the  Kqfkqfkias  River,  and  continues  for 
three  miles  above  the  River  Mi/ouri,  where 
a  high  ridge  terminates  it,  and  forms  the 
eaftern  bank  of  the  Mijffi/ippi.  —This  inter- 
val land  is  level,  has  few  trees,  and  is  of 
a  very  rich  foil,  yielding  fhrubs  and  molt 
fragrant  flowers,  which  added  to  the  num- 
ber and  extent  of  meadows  and  ponds  dif- 
perfed  thro'  this  charming  valley,  render  it 
exceedingly  beautiful  and  agreeable. 

In  this  vale  Hand  the  following  villages, 
viz.  Kq/kq/kias,  which,  as  already  mentioned, 
is  five  miles  and  a  half  up  a  River  of  the 
fame  name,  running  northerly  and  fouth- 
erly. — This  village  contains  80  houfes, 
many  of  them  well  built ;    fev eral  of  ftone, 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

with  gardens,  and  large  lotts  adjoining.  It 
confifts  of  about  500  white  inhabitants,  and 
between  four  and  five  hundred  negroes.  The 
former  have  large  flocks  of  black  Cattle, 
Swine,  &c. 

[37]  Three  miles  northerly  of  KaJkaJHas, 
is  a  village  of  Illinois  Indians  (of  the  Kaf- 
ka/Mas tribe)  containing  about  210  perfons 
and  00  warriors.  They  were  formerly  brave 
and  warlike,  but  are  degenerated  into  a 
drunken,  and  debauched  tribe,  and  fo  in- 
dolent, as  fcarcely  to  procure  a  fufficien- 
cy  of  Skins  and  Furs  to  barter  for  cloath- 
ing. 

Nine  miles  further  northward,  than  the 
laft  mentioned  village,  is  another,  called 
La  prairie  du  Rocher,  or  (the  Bock  mea- 
dows.)  It  confifts  of  100  white  inhabitants, 
and  80  negroes. 

Three  miles  northerly  of  this  place,  on 
the  banks  of  the  Mijflijippi  flood  Fort  Char- 
tres.  It  was  abandoned  in  the  year  1772, 
as  it  was  rendered  untenable  by  the  con- 
ftant  wafhings  of  the  River  Mifjijippi  in 
high  floods. — The  village  of  Fort  Chartrcs, 
a  little  fouthward  of  the  Fort, — contained 

108 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

fo  few  inhabitants,   as  not  to  deferve  my 
notice. 

One  mile  higher  up  the  MiJJiJippi  than 
Fort  Chartres,  is  a  village  fettled  by  170 
warriors  of  the  Pioritts  and  Mitchiganiias 
[38]  (two  other  tribes  of  the  Illinois  In- 
dians. )  They  are  as  idle  and  debauched,  as 
the  tribe  of  Kq/kq/kias,  which  I  have  juft 
defcribed. 

Four  miles  higher  than  the  preceeding 
village,  is  St.  Philip's.  It  was  formerly 
inhabited  by  about  a  dozen  families,  but 
at  prefent,  is  poffeffed  only  by  two  or 
three. — The  others  have  retired  to  the 
weftern  fide  of  the  MiJJiJippi. 

Forty  five  miles  further  northwards,  than 
St.  Philip's  (and  one  mile  up  a  fmall  River, 
on  the  fouthern  fide  of  it)  Hands  the  vil- 
lage of  CahoMa.  It  has  50  houfes,  many 
of  them  well  built,  and  300  inhabitants, 
poffefiing  80  negroes,  and  large  flocks  of 
black  Cattle,  Swine,  &c. 

Four  miles  above  Cahokia,  on  the  weft- 
ern, or  Spanifh  fide  of  the  MiJJiJippi,  ftands 
the  village  of  St.  Louis,  on  a  high  piece 
of  ground.  It  is  the  mod  healthy  and 
pleafurable  fituation  of  any  known  in  this 

109 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

part  of  the  country.  Here  the  Spani/h 
Commandant,  and  the  principal  Indian 
Traders  refide;  who  by  conciliating  the 
affections  of  the  natives,  have  drawn  all 
[39]  the  Indian  trade  of  the  Mifouri ;  ---part 
of  that  of  the  MiJJiJippi  (northwards)  and  of 
the  tribes  of  Indians  rending  near  the  Ouif- 
conjing,  and  Illinois  Rivers,  to  this  village. 
In  St.  Louis  are  120  houfes,  moftly  built  of 
ftone.  They  are  large  and  commodious. 
This  village  has  800  inhabitants,  chiefly 
French ;  — fome  of  them  have  had  a  liberal 
education,  are  polite,  and  hofpitable.  They 
have  about  150  negroes,  and  large  flocks 
of  black  Cattle,  &c. 

Twelve  miles  below,  or  foutherly  of 
Fort  Chartres,  on  the  Weftern  bank  of  the 
Mijfifippi.  and  nearly  oppofite  to  the  village 
of  Kajkqfidas,  is  the  village  of  St.  Genevieve 
or  MiJJirc.  It  contains  upwards  of  100 
houfes,  and  460  inhabitants,  befides  Ne- 
groes. This  and  St.  Louis  are  all  the  vil- 
lages that  are  upon  the  weftern,  or  Spa- 
nifh  fide  of  the  MiQiJippi. 

Four  miles  below  St.    Genevieve  (on  the 

weftern  bank  of  the  MiJJiJippi)  at  the  mouth 

of  a  Creek,  is  a  Hamlet,  called  the  Saline. 
no 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

Here  all  the  fait  is  made,  which  is  ufed  in 
the  Illinois  country,  from  a  fait  fpring, 
[40]  that  is  at  this  place*.  The  Ridge 
which  forms  the  eaftern  bank  of  the  MiJ- 
Jijippi.  above  the  Mifouri  River  continues 
northerly  to  the  Illinois  River,  and  then  di- 
rects its  courfe  along  the  eaftern  fide  of  that 
River,  for  about  2'20  miles,  when  it  declines 
in  gentle  Hopes,  and  ends  in  extenfive  rich 
favannahs.  On  the  top  of  this  Ridge,  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Illinois  River,  is  an  agree- 
able and  commanding  fituation,  for  a  fort, 
and  though  the  Ridge  is  high  and  fteep 
(about  130  feet  high)  and  rather  difficult 
to  afcend ;  — yet  when  afcended, — it  affords 

*  In  the  leveral  villages  on,  and  near  the  MiJJijippi, 
which  I  have  juft  defcrihed,  (and  which  are  delineated  in 
the  annexed  plan )  there  were  in  the  year  1771,  twelve  hun- 
dred and  ieventy  three  fencible  men.     To  wit. 

On  the  Eaftern  fide  of  the  Mijjifppi, 


French 

:;on 

Negroes 

230 

On  the  Weftern  fide  of  the  Mijfifippi, 

At  St.  Genevieve, 

French 

208 

Negroes 

80 

At  St.  Louis, 

French 

415 

Negroes 

40 

1273 


111 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

a  moll  delightful  profpe6l. — The  Miffijippi 
[41]  is  diftinctly  feen  from  its  fummit  for 
more  than  twenty  miles, — as  are  the  beau- 
tiful meanderings  of  the  Illinois  River,  for 
many  leagues; — next  a  level,  fruitful  mea- 
dow prefents  itfelf,  of  at  leaft  one  hundred 
miles  in  circuit  on  the  weftern  fide  of  the 
Miffijippi,  watered  by  feveral  lakes,  and 
ihaded  by  fmall  groves  or  copfes  of  trees, 
fcattered  in  different  parts  of  it,  and  then 
the  eye,  with  rapture,  furveys,  as  well  the 
high  lands  bordering  upon  the  River  Mif- 
fouri,  as  thofe  at  a  greater  diftance  up  the 
Miffijippi. — In  fine,  this  charming  ridge  is 
covered  with  excellent  Grafs,  large  Oak, 
Walnut  trees,  &c.  and  at  the  diftance 
of  about  nine  miles  from  the  Miffijippi, 
up  the  Illinois  River,  are  feen  many  large 
favannahs,  or  meadows  abounding  in  Buf- 
falo, Deer,  &c. 

In  afcending  the  Miffijippi,  Caj)c  an  Gres, 
particularly  attracted  my  attention.---It  is 
about  8  leagues  above  the  Illinois  River, 
on  the  eaftern  fide  of  the  Miffijippi,  and 
continues  above  five  leagues  on  that  River. 
There  is  a  gradual  defcent  back  to  delight- 
ful meadows,  and  to  beautiful  and  fertile  up- 

112 


Z<xv6vi/MisAa/  aam&>w  &.4rfsfftr&*neuJTc<i*it'  fSltfftr/'Ao.  tturtint 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

lands,  water'd  by  feveral  Rivulets,  which  fall 
[4'i]  into  the  Illinois  River  between  30  and 
40  miles  from  its  entrance  into  the  Mif- 
Jijippi,  and  into  the  latter  at  Cape  au  Ores. 
The  diftance  from  the  Mi/Jijippi  to  the 
River  Illinois  acrofs  the  country,  is  leffened 
or  increafed,  according  to  the  windings  of 
the  former  River; — the  final  left  diftance  is 
at  Cape  au  Circs,  and  there  it  is  between 
four  and  five  miles.  The  lands  in  this  in- 
termediate fpace  between  the  above  two 
Rivers  are  rich,  almoft  beyond  parallel, — 
covered  with  large  Oaks,  Walnut,  &c. 
and  not  a  ftone  is  to  be  feen,  except  upon 
the  fides  of  the  River. — It  is  even  acknow- 
ledged by  the  French  inhabitants,  that  if  fet- 
tlements  were  only  begun  at  Capeau  Gres,-- 
thofe  upon  the  Spani/h  fide  of  the  Miffijippi 
would  be  abandoned,  as  the  former  would 
excite  a  conftant  fuccefiion  of  fettlers, 
and  intercept  all  the  trade  of  the  upper 
MjOyippi. 

The  Illinois  River,  furnifhes  a  commu- 
nication with  Lake  Michigan,  by  the  Chi- 
cago River,  and  by  two  portages  between 
the  latter  and  the  Illinois  River ;  the  lon- 
geft  of  which  does  not  exceed  four  miles. 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

[43]  The  Illinois  country  is  in  general  of 
a  fuperior  foil  to  any  other  part  of  North 
America  that  I  have  feen.  It  produces  fine 
Oak,  Hickory,  Cedar,  Mulberry  trees,  &c. 
fome  Dying  roots  and  medicinal  Plants;  — 
Hops,  and  excellent  wild  Grapes,  and,  in  the 
year  1769,  one  hundred  and  ten  hogfheads 
of  well  tailed  and  itrong  Wine,  were  made 
by  the  French  Settlers,  from  thefe  Grapes,-- 
A  large  quantity  of  Sugar  is  alfo  annually 
made  from  the  juice  of  the  Maple  tree;  and 
as  the  Mulberry  trees  are  large  and  numer- 
ous, I  prefume  the  making  of  Silk  will  em- 
ploy the  attention  and  induftry  of  the  fet- 
tlers,  when  the  country  is  more  fully  inhab- 
ited than  it  is  at  prefent,  and  efpecially  as 
the  winters  are  much  more  moderate,  and 
favourable  for  the  breed  of  Silk  Worms, 
than  they  are  in  many  of  the  fea  coaft  pro- 
vinces.— Indigo  may  likewife  be  fuccefsfully 
cultivated — (but  not  more  than  two  cuttings 
in  a  year;  )  Wheat,  Peas,  and  Indian  Corn 
thrive  well,  as  does  every  fort  of  Grain  and 
Pulfe,  that  is  produced  in  any  of  the  old 
Colonies.  Great  quantities  of  Tobacco  are 
alfo  yearly  raifed  by  the  inhabitants  of  the 
Illinois,    both   for  their  own  confumption, 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

[44]  and  that  of  the  Indians ;  — but  little 
has  hitherto  been  exported  to  Europe. 
Hemp  grows  fpontaneoufly,  and  is  of  a  good 
texture; ---Its  common  height  is  10  feet,  and 
its  thicknefs,  three  inches  (the  latter  reckon- 
ed within  about  a  foot  of  the  root)  and  with 
little  labour  any  quantity  may  be  cultivated. 
Fhuv  Seed  has  hitherto  been  only  raifed  in 
fmall  quantities.  There  has  however  been 
enough  produced  to  fhew,  that  it  may  be 
fown  to  the  greateft  advantage.  Ap- 
ples, Pears,  Peaches,  and  all  other  European 
fruits  fucceed  admirably.  Iron,  Copper, 
and  Lead  Mines,  as  alfo  Salt  Springs  have 
been  difcovered  in  different  parts  of  this 
territory.  The  two  latter  are  worked 
on  the  Spanijh  tide  of  the  Miffijippi, 
with  coniiderable  advantage  to  their  own- 
ers. There  is  plenty  of  Fifh  in  the 
Rivers,  particularly  Cat,  Carp,  and  Perch, 
of  an  uncommon  fize.---.SVuv/////r///.v,  or 
natural  meadows,  are  both  numerous  and 
extenfive ;  yielding  excellent  Grafs,  and 
feeding  great  herds  of  Bvffaloe,  Deer,  <%c.-- 
Ducks,  Teal,  Geefe,  Swans,  Cranes, 
Pelicans,  Turkies,  Pheafants,  Partridges,  &c. 
[45]  fuch  as  are  feen  in  the  Sea  coaft  Colo- 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

nies,  are  in  the  greateft  variety  and  a- 
bundance.---In  fhort,  every  thing,  that  a 
reafonable  mind  can  defire,  is  to  be  found, 
or  may,  with  little  pains,  be  produced 
here*. 

Niagara  Fort  is  a  molt  important  poft. 
It  fecures  a  greater  number  of  communi- 
cations, through  a  larger  country,  than 
probably  any  other  pafs  in  interior  Ameri- 
ca ;  —It  Hands  at  the  entrance  of  a  ftraight, 
by  which  Lake  Ontario,  is  joined  to  Lake 
Erie,  and  the  latter  is  connected  with 
the  three  great  Lakes  Huron,  Mieliegan, 
and  Superior.  About  nine  miles  above 
Fort  Niagara,  the  carrying  place  begins. 
It  is  occasioned  by  the  stupendous  cataract 
of  that  name.  The  quantity  of  water  which 
tumbles  over  this  Fall  is  unparalleled  in 
America;— its  heighth,  is  not  lefs  than 
137  feet.  This  Fall  would  interrupt  the 
communication  between  the  Lakes  Ontario 
and  Erie ;  if  a  road  was  not  made  up  the 
[46]  hilly  country;  that  borders  upon  the 
ftraight.     This  road  extends  to  a  fmall  poft 

*  See  the  annexed  Plan  for  a  defcription  of  the  Illinois 
country,  &c.  and  fee  Appendix,  No.  I.  for  a  farther  account 
thereof. 

116 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

eighteen  miles  from  fort  Niagara.  Here 
the  traveller  embarks  in  a  battoe  or  canoe, 
and  proceeds  eighteen  miles  to  a  fmall  fort 
at  Lake  Erie.  It  may  be  proper  alfo  to 
add,  that  at  the  end  of  the  firft  two  miles, 
in  the  laft  mentioned  diftance  of  18  miles, 
the  Stream  of  the  River  is  divided  by  a  large 
illand,  above  nine  miles  in  length;  and  at 
the  upper  end  of  it,  about  a  mile  from 
Lake  Erie,  are  three  or  four  illands,  not  far 
from  each  other; — thefe  iilands,  by  inter- 
rupting and  confining  the  waters  difcharged 
from  the  Lake,  greatly  increafe  the  rapi- 
dity of  the  Stream ; ---which  indeed  is  fo 
violent,  that  the  ftiffeft  gale  is  fcarcely  fuf- 
[ti]cient  to  enable  a  large  veffel  to  Item  it,-- 
but  it  is  fuccefsfully  refilled  in  fmall  battoes 
or  canoes,  that  are  rowed  near  the  fhore. 

Lake  Erie,  is  about  225  miles  in  length, 
and  upon  a  medium  about  40  miles  in 
breadth.  It  affords  a  good  navigation  for 
fhipping  of  any  burthen.  The  coaft  on 
both  lides  of  the  Lake,  is  generally  favour- 
able for  the  paffage  of  battoes  and  canoes. 
[47]  Its  banks  in  many  places  have  a  flat 
fandy  fhore,  particularly  to  the  eaftward  of 
the  Peitiii/ii/a,   called   Long  Point,   which 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

extends  into  the  Lake,  in  a  fouth  eaftern 
direction  for  upwards  of  18  miles,  and 
is  not  more  than  five  miles  wide  in  the 
broadeft  part,  but  the  I/ikmus,  by  which 
it  joins  the  continent,  is  fcarcely  200  yards 
wide.  The  Peninfula  is  compofed  of  Sand, 
and  is  very  convenient  to  haul  boats  out  of 
the  furf  upon,  (as  is  alfo  almoft  every  other 
part  of  the  ihore)  when  the  Lake  is  too 
rough  for  rowing  or  failing ;  yet  there  are 
fome  places,  where,  in  boifterous  weather 
(on  account  of  their  great  perpendicular 
height)  it  would  be  dangerous  to  approach, 
and  impoffible  to  land :  moft  of  thefe 
places  are  marked  in  my  Map  with  the 
letter  X. 

Lake  Erie  has  a  great  variety  of  fine 
fifh,  fuch  as  Sturgeon,  Eel,  White  Fi/h, 
Trout,  Perch,  %c. 

The  country  northward  of  this  Lake,  is 
in  many  parts  fwelled  with  moderate 
hills,  but  no  high  mountains.  The  cli- 
mate is  temperate,  and  the  air  healthful. 
The  lands  are  well  timbered,  (but  not  ge- 
[48]  nerally  fo  rich,  as  thofe  upon  the  fouth- 
ern  fide  of  the  lake)  and  for  a  confiderable 
diftance  from  it,  and  for  feveral  miles  eaft- 

118 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

ward  of  Cayahoga  River,  they  appear  quite 
level,  and  extremely  fertile;  and  except 
where  extenfive  favannahs,  or  natural  mea- 
dows intervene,  are  covered  with  large 
Oaks,  Walnut,  Am,  Hickory,  Mulberry, 
Saffafras,  &c.  &c.  and  produce  a  great  va- 
riety of  Shrubs  and  Medicinal  roots.  — 
Here  alfo  is  great  plenty  of  Buffalo,  Deer, 
Turkies,  Partridges,  &c. 

Fori  Detroit  is  of  an  oblong  figure, 
built  with  ftockades,  and  advantageoufiy 
(ituated,  with  one  entire  fide  commanding 
the  river,  called  Detroit.  This  fort  is  near 
a  mile  in  circumference,  and  enclofes 
about  one  hundred  houfes,  built  in  a  re- 
gular manner,  with  parallel  ftreets,  crof- 
ting each  other  at  right  angles.  Its  litua- 
tion  is  delightful,  and  in  the  centre  of  a 
pleafant,  fruitful  country. 

The  ftraight  St.  Clair  (commonly  cal- 
led the  Detroit  River)  is  at  its  entrance 
more  than  three  miles  wide,  but  in  af- 
cending  it,  its  width  perceptibly  diminifhes, 
i'o  that  oppofite  to  the  Fort,  (which  is  18 
[49]  miles  from  Lake  Erie)  it  does  not  ex- 
ceed half  a  mile  in  width.  From  thence  to 
Lake  St.   Clair,   it  widens  to  more  than  a 

119 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL   DESCRIPTION 

mile.  The  Channel  of  the  ftraight  is  gen- 
tle, and  wide,  and  deep  enough  for  flap- 
ping of  great  burthen,  although  it  is  in- 
commoded by  feveral  iflands ;  one  of  which 
is  more  than  feven  miles  in  length.  Thefe 
iflands  are  of  a  fertile  foil,  and  from  their 
fituation  afford  a  very  agreeable  appearance. 
For  eight  miles  below,  and  the  fame  dif- 
tance  above  Fort  Detroit,  on  both  fides  of 
the  River,  the  country  is  divided  into 
regular  and  well  cultivated  plantations, 
and  from  the  contiguity  of  the  farmers 
houfes  to  each  other,  they  appear  as  two 
long  extended  villages.  The  inhabitants, 
who  are  moftly  French,  are  about  2000 
in  number;  500  of  whom  are  as  good 
markfmen,  and  as  well  accuftomed  to 
the  woods,  as  the  Indian  natives  them- 
felves.  They  raife  large  flocks  of  black 
cattle,  and  great  quantities  of  Corn,  which 
they  grind  by  wind-mills,  and  manufacture 
into  excellent  Flour.- --The  chief  trade  of 
Detroit  confifts  in  a  barter  of  coarfe  Euro- 
[50]  pean  goods  with  the  natives  for  Furrs, 
Deer-lkins,  Tallow,  &c.  &c. 

The  rout  from  Lake  St.   Clair  to  Lake 
Huron,   is  up  a  ftraight  or   River,   about 

120 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

400  yards  wide.  This  river  derives  itfelf 
from  Lake  Heron,  and  at  the  diftance  of 
88  miles  lofes  itfelf  in  Lake  St.  Clair.  It 
is  in  general  rapid,  hut  particularly  fo  near 
its  fource; — its  channel,  and  alfo  that  of 
Lake  St.  Clair,  are  fufficiently  deep  for  lhip- 
ping  of  very  coniiderable  burthen.  This 
(trait  has  feveral  mouths,  and  the  lands  ly- 
ing between  them  are  fine  meadows.  The 
country  on  both  fides  of  it,  for  15  miles, 
has  a  very  level  appearance,  but  from  thence 
to  Lake  Huron,  it  is  in  many  places  broken, 
and  covered  with  white  Pines,  Oaks,  Ma- 
ple, Birch  and  Beech. 


121 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

[51]  APPENDIX,   No.  I. 

Mr.  Patrick  Kennedy's  Journal  of  an 
Expedition  undertaken  by  Mm/elf  and  fe- 
veral  Coureurs  de  Bois  in  the  year  1773,-- 
from  Kafkafldas  Village  in  the  Illinois 
Country,  to  the  Head  Waters  of  the  Il- 
linois River*. 

JULY  23,  1773.  "  We  fet  out  from 
"  Kafkafkias  in  fearch  of  a  Copper 
'  mine,  and  on  the  31ft  reached  the  Illinois 
'  River; — it  is  84  miles  from  Kafkafkias. 
'  The  fame  day  we  entered  the  Illinois  Ri- 
'  ver,  which  is  18  miles  above  that  of  the 
"  MiJJ'ouri.  The  water  was  fo  low,  and 
'  the  fides  of  the  river  fo  full  of 
'  weeds,  that  our  progrefs  was  much 
'  interrupted,  being  obliged  to  row  our 
'  boat  in  the  deep  water,  and  ftrong 
'  current.  The  chain  of  rocks,  and  high 
'  hills  which  begin  at  the  Piafas  about 
'  three  miles  above  the  Miffouri,  extend 
'  to  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois  River,  and 
'  continue  along  the  fouth-eaftern  fide  of 
the  fame  in  an  eaft-north  eaft  courfe.-- 

*  N.  B.    This  Journal  was  never  printed  before. 
122 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

[52]  About  eighteen  miles  up  this  river, 
on  the  eaftern  fide,  is  a  little  river  called 
by  the  Natives  Macopin  or  White  Potato 
River; ---it  is  20  yards  wide,  and  navi- 
gable nine  miles  to  the  hills.  The 
more  is  low  on  both  fides; ---the  tim- 
1  ber,  Bois  Connu,  or  Paccori,  Maple,  AJh, 

■  But  tun  Wood,  &c. — The  courfe  of  the  II- 

■  limns  River  here,  is  N.  N.  E ;  the  land  is 
'  well  timbered,   and   covered   with    high 

•  weeds.  There  are  fine  meadows  at  a 
'  little  diftance  from  the  River;  the  banks 
'  of  which  do  not  crumble  away  as  thofe 
"  of  the  Miffijippi  do  :  we  paffed  numbers 
'  of  Hands,  fome  of  them  between  nine 
'  and  twelve  miles  in  length,  and  three 
'  miles    in    breadth. — The    general    width 

•  of  the  River  in  this  day's  journey,  was 
'  about  400  yards. 

"  Auguft  1,  about  12  o'clock,  we  ftop- 
'  ped  at  the  Piorias  wintering  ground. 
"  About  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  Ri- 
"  ver,  on  the  eaftern  fide  of  it,  is  a  mea- 
"  dow  of  many  miles  long,  and  five  or  fix 
"  miles  broad.  In  this  meadow  are  many 
"  fmall  lakes,  communicating  with  each 
"  other,  and  by  which  there  are  paftages 

123 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

[53]  for  fmall  boats  or  canoes,  and  one  in 
particular,  leads  to  the  Illinois  River. 
The  timber  in  general  very  tall  Oaks. 
We  met  with  fome  beautiful  iflands  in 
this  part  of  the  River  (48  miles  from 
the  Mi/Jijippi)  and  great  plenty  of  Buffa- 
loe  and  Deer. 

"  Auguft  2,  At  one  o'clock  we  paffed 
an  ifland  called  Picrc. — A  Fleche,  or  ar- 
row ftone  is  gotten  by  the  Indians  from 
a  high  hill  on  the  weftern  fide  of  the 
River,  near  the  above  ifland ;  — with  this 
ftone,  the  natives  make  their  gun  flints, 
and  point  their  arrows.  Half  a  league 
above  this  ifland,  on  the  Eaftern  fide  of 
it,  the  meadows  border  on  the  River, 
and  continue  feveral  miles;  the  land  is 
remarkably  rich,  and  well  watered  with 
fmall  Rivulets  from  the  neighbouring 
hills.  The  banks  of  the  River  are  high, 
the  water  clear,  and  at  the  bottom  of 
the  River  are  white  Marl  and  Sand. 
"  Auguft  3,  Pafled  the  Mine  River.  It 
comes  into  the  Illinois  River  on  the  north- 
weftern  fide  of  it,  120  miles  from  the 
MiJJiJippi.  It  is  50  yards  wide  and  very 
rapid. 

124 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

[54]  "  Auguft  4,  Here  the  land  on  both 
fides  of  the  Illinois  River  is  low,  but  rifes 
gradually. — The  Prairie,  or  meadow 
ground  on  the  eaftern  fide,  is  at  leqji 
twenty  miles  wide;  it  is  fine  land  for 
tillage,  or  for  grazing'  cattle,  and  is  well 
watered  with  a  number  of  fprings. 
About  12  o'clock  we  patted  the  River 
Sagamond,  185  miles  from  the  MiQiJippi. 
It  is  a  River  100  yards  wide,  and  navi- 
gable for  fmall  boats  or  canoes  up- 
wards of  180  miles,  and  about  fun- 
set,  we  palfed  the  River  Demi-Quian. 
It  comes  in  on  the  weftern  fide  of  the 
Illinois  River;  —  (165  miles  from  the 
MiJJiJippi ; ) — is  50  yards  wide,  and  navi- 
gable 120  miles.  We  encamped  on 
the  fouth-eaftern  fide  of  the  Illinois  river, 
opposite  to  a  very  large  favannah,  be- 
longing to,  and  called,  the  Demi-Quian 
fwamp.  The  lands  on  the  fouth-eaftern 
fide  are  high  and  thinly  timbered;  --- 
but  at  the  place  of  our  encampment  are 
1  fine  meadows,  extending  farther  than 
'  the  eye  can  reach,  and  affording  a  de- 
'  lightful  profpecf.  ---The  low  lands  on 
'  the  weftern    fide   of  the    Illinois   River, 

125 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

extend  fo  far  back  from  it,  that  no 
[55]  high  grounds  can  be  feen.  Here  is 
plenty  of  BufFaloe,  Deer,  Elk,  Tur- 
keys, &c. 

"  Auguft  5,  It  rained  all  day,  which 
detained  us  till  the  evening,  when  we 
embarked,  and  rowed  till  dark;  in  our 
way  we  paffed  the  Lake  Demi-Quian, 
200  yards  weft  from  the  river  of  that 
name;  it  is  of  a  circular  figure,  fix  miles 
acrofs,  and  difcharges  itfelf  by  a  fmall 
paffage,  four  feet  deep  into  the  Illinois 
River.  This  Lake  is  171  miles  from 
the  MiJJiJippi.  The  general  courfe  of 
the  Illinois  River  varies  very  little;  it 
rather  however  inclines  to  the  eaftward. 
The  lands  are  much  the  fame  as  before 
defcribed,  only  the  Prairies  (Meadows) 
extend  further  from  the  river.  By  our 
1  reckoning,  we  are  177  miles  from  the 
1  Miffijippi. 

"  Auguft  6,  Set  out  early,  and  at  11 
1  o'Clock  we  paffed  the  Se/eme-Quian  river, 
'  it  is  on  the  weftern  fide  of  the  Illinois 
1  river;  is  40  yards  wide,  and  navigable  60 
;  miles;  the  land  bordering  on  this  river  is 
1  very  good.  —  About  four  o'clock  we  paffed 

126 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

'  the  river  De  la  March,  (on  the  weftern 
'  [56]  fide  alfo  of  the  Illinois  river;)  it  is 
'  30  yards  wide,  and  navigable  about  eight 
'•'  or  nine  miles  only.  Though  the  J)c  la 
"  March  is  not  fo  long  as  the  Sefeme-Quian, 
'  yet  it  is  much  handfomer.  Thef'e  rivers 
'  are  about  nine  miles  diftant  from  each 
:'  other.  Here  the  land  begins  to  rife  grad- 
'  ually  on  the  weftern  bank.  At  fun-fet 
"  we  paffed  a  river  called  Michilimactcinac. 
"  It  is  on  the  fouth-eaftern  fide  of  the  I/li- 
"  nois  River;  is  50  yards  wide,  navigable 
"  for  about  DO  miles,  and  has  between  30 
"  and  40  fmall  illands  at  its  mouth;  which 
"  at  a  diftance  appear  like  a  fmall  village. 
"  On  the  banks  of  this  river  is  plenty  of 
"  good  timber,  viz.  Red  and  white  Cedar, 
"  Pine,  Maple,  Jfraln>/t,  <§c,  and  finding 
"  fome  pieces  of  coal,  I  was  induced 
"  to  walk  up  the  river  a  few  miles,  thd> 
"  not  far  enough,  to  reach  a  coal  mine.  In 
"  many  places  I  alfo  found  clinkers,  which 
"  inclined  me  to  think  that  a  coal  mine,  not 
"  far  diftant,  was  on  fire,  and  I  have  fince 
"  heard,  there  was. --The  laud  is  high  on  the 
"  eaftern  bank  of  the  river,  but  on  the 
"  weftern  are  large  plains  or  meadows,  ex- 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

"  tending  as  far  as  can  be  feen,  covered 

"  [57]  with  fine  grafs.     This  river  is  195 

"  miles  from  the  MiJJiJippi. 

"  Auguft  7,   The   morning   being   very 

"  foggy,    and   the    River    overgrown    with 

"  weeds    along    its   fides,    we   could    make 

"  but    little   way.      About    12    o'clock    we 

"  got  to  the  old  Pioria  Fort  and  village  on 

"  the  weftern  fhore  of  the  River,  and  at 

"  the  fouthern  end  of  a  lake  called  the  II- 

"  linois  Lake;  which  is  19  miles  and  a  half 

"  in  length,  and  three  miles  in   breadth. 

"  It  has  no  Rocks,   Shoals  or  perceivable 

"  Current.      We   found    the    ftockades   of 

"  this  Pioria  Fort  deftroyed  by  fire,  but  the 

"  houfes  Handing.     The  fummit  on  which 

"  the   Fort  flood,  commands  a  fine  prof- 

"  pe6l  of  the  country  to  the  eaftward,  and 

"  up  the  lake  to  the  point,  where  the  Ri- 

"  ver  comes  in  at  the  north  end ;  —  to  the 

"  weftward  are  large  meadows.    In  the  lake 

"  is  great  plenty  of  fifh,  and  in  particu- 

"  lar,    Sturgeon,    and  Pieannau.      On  the 

"  eaftern  fide  of  the  lake,  about  the  mid- 

"  die  of  it,  the  chain  of  Rocks,  that  ex- 

"  tends  from  the  back  of  Kajkq/kias,   to 

"  [58]   Cahokia,  Piafa,  the  mouth  of  the 
128 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

Illinois  River,  &c  terminates.  —  The  coun- 
try to  the  weftward,  is  low  and  very  le- 
vel, covered  with  Grafs,  Weeds, 
Flaggs,  kc.  —  Here  is  abundance  of 
Cherry,  Plumb  and  other  fruit  trees. — 
This  lake  is  210  miles  from  the  Miffi- 

"  Auguft  8,  The  wind  being  fair  we 
made  a  fail  of  our  tent,  and  reached  the 
upper  end  of  the  lake  by  fun-fet;  and 
the  wind  continuing  fair  we  afcended 
the  River,  and  about  4  o'clock  paffed 
Crows  Meadows  River,  which  comes 
from  the  eaftward,  and  over  againft 
it.  on  the  weft  fide,  are  the  mea- 
dows juft  mentioned,  240  miles  from 
the  Mijffijippi.  This  River  is  twenty 
yards  wide,  and  navigable  between 
15  and  18  miles.  The  land  on  both 
fides  of  the  Illinois  River,  for  27,  or  80 
miles  above  the  lake,  is  generally  low 
and  full  of  Swamps,  fome  a  mile  wide, 
bordei'ed  with  fine  meadows,  and  in 
fome  places,  the  high  land  comes  to 
the  River  in  points,  or  narrow  necks. 
[59]  "  Auguft  9,  At  10  o'clock,  we  paffed 
the  Riviere  de  1'IJlc  de  Pluye,  or  Rainy 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

I/land  River,  on  the  fouth-eaft  fide  it  is 
15  yards  wide,  and  navigable  nine  miles 
to  the  rocks.— After  palling  this  River, 
which  is  255  miles  from  the  Miffijippi, 
we  found  the  water  very   ihallow,    and 
it  was  with  difficulty  that  we  got  for- 
ward, though  we   employed  feven  oars, 
;  and  our  boat  drew  only  three  feet  water. 
'  The  grafs  which   grows   in  the   interval 
'  or  meadow  ground,  between  the  Illinois 
'  River  and  the   Rocks,  is  finer  than  any 
'  we  have  feen,  and  is  thicker  and  higher 
'  and  more  clear  from  weeds,  than  in  any 
'  of  the  meadows  about  Kq/kq/kias  or  Fort 
'  Chartres.    The  timber  is  generally  Birch, 
'  Button,   and  Paccan. — The  wind  conti- 
'  nuing  fair,   about   10  o'clock  we   paffed 
'  the    Vermillion    River,    267    miles   from 
'  the  Miffijippi.     It  is  30  yards  wide,  but 
"  lb  rocky  as  not  to  be  navigable.— At  the 
"  diltance   of  a    mile   further,  we  arrived 
"  at  the  little  rocks,   which  are  60  miles 
"  from  the  Forks,  and  270  miles  from  the 
"  [60]  Miffijippi."     The  water  being  very 
"  low,  We  could  get  no  further  with  our 
"  boat,  and  therefore  we  proceeded  by  land 
"  to  the  Forks.     We  fet   out   about   two 

130 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

o'clock  on  the  weftern  fide  of  the 
River,  but  the  grafs  and  weeds  were 
fo  high,  that  we  could  make  but 
little  way. 

"  Auguft  10,  We  crofted  the  high 
land,  and  at  ten  o'clock  we  came  to 
the  Fox  River  (or  a  branch  of  it) 
after  walking  twenty-four  miles.  It 
falls  into  the  Illinois  River,  thirty  miles 
beyond  the  place  where  we  left  our 
boat. — The  Fox  River  is  '25  yards  wide, 
and  has  about  five  feet  water ;  its  courfe 
is  from  the  weftward  by  many  windings 
through  large  meadows.  At  three  miles 
diftance,  after  croifing  this  river,  we 
fell  in  with  the  Illinois  River  again,  and 
kept  along  its  bank ;  here  we  found  a 
path.  About  fix  o'clock  we  arrived, 
after  walking  about  12  miles,  at  an  old 
encampment,  fifteen  miles  from  the 
Fork.  The  land  is  ftoney,  and  the  mea- 
dows not  fo  good  as  fome  which  we  for- 
[61]  merly  paffed; — from  hence  we  went 
to  an  ifland,  where  feveral  French  traders 
were  encamp'd,  but  we  could  get  no  intel- 
ligence from  them  about  the  copper  mine 
which  we  had  fet  out  in  fearch  of.     At 

131 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 


"  this  ifland  we  hired  one  of  the  French 
"  hunters  to  conduct  us  in  a  canoe  to  our 
"  boat. 

"  Auguft  11,  We  fet  off  about  three 
"  o'clock,  and  at  night  got  within  nine 
"  miles  of  our  boat.  We  computed  it  to 
"  be  45  miles  from  the  ifland  we  laft  de- 
"  parted  from,  to  the  place  where  we  left 
"  our  boat. 

"  Auguft  12,  We  embarked  early,  and 
"  proceeded  three  miles  down  the  Illinois 
"  River.---On  the  north-weftern  fide  of 
"  this  river  is  a  coal  mine,  that  extends 
"  for  half  a  mile  along  the  middle  of  the 
"  bank  of  the  river,  which  is  high.  --- 
"  On  the  eaftern  fide,  about  half  a  mile 
"  from  it,  and  about  the  fame  diftance  be- 
"  low  the  coal  mine,  are  two  fait  ponds, 
"  100  yards  in  circumference,  and  feveral 
"  feet  in  depth ;  the  water  is  ftagnant,  and 
"  of  a  yellowifh  colour;  but  the  French, 
"  [62]  and  natives  make  good  fait  from  it. 
"  We  tafted  the  water,  and  thought  it  falter 
"  than  that  which  the  French  make  fait 
"  from,  at  the  faline  near  St.  Genevieve. 
"  At  nine  o'clock  we  arrived  at  our  boat. 
"  From  the   ifland,   where   we   found   the 

132 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

"  French  traders,  and  from  whence  we  era- 
"  barked  in  a  canoe  to  go  to  our  boat, 
"  there  is  a  coniiderable  defeent  and  Ra- 
"  pid  all  the  way.  Here  it  is,  that  the 
"  French  fettlers  cut  their  mill  Hones.— 
"  The  land  along  the  banks  of  the  river  is 
"  much  better  than  what  we  met  with, 
"  when  we  croffed  the  country  on  the  10th 
"  of  this  month.  On  the  high  lands,  and 
"  particularly  thofe  on  the  fouth-eaftern 
"  fide,  there  is  abundance  of  red  and  white 
"  Cedar,  Pine  trees,  &c. — We  embarked 
"  about  two  o'clock,  and  proceeded  till 
"  nine  at  night. 

"  Auguft  i:3.  We  lay  by  half  this  day, 
"  on  account  of  wet  weather. 

"  Auguft  14,  Embarked  early,  and  af- 
"  ter  crofting  the  Illinois  lake  arrived  late 
"  in  the  evening,  at  the  Pioria  Fort. 

"  Auguft  15,  Rowed  very  conftantly 
"  [03]  all  day,  and  arrived  at  the  Mine  Ri- 
"  ver  in  the  evening.---Here  I  met  with  Mr. 
"  Janifte,  a  French  gentleman,  and  pre- 
"  vailed  on  him  to  accompany  me,  in  an 
"  attempt  up  this  River,  to  difcover  the 
"    Copper  Mine. 


133 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 

"  Auguft  16,  Embarked  early,  and  af- 
"  cended  the  Mine  River  in  a  fmall  canoe, 
"  about  6  miles,  but  could  get  no  further, 
"  as  the  river  was  quite  dry  a  little  higher 
"  up.  It  runs  the  above  diftance,  through 
"  very  high  grounds,  is  rocky  and  very 
"  crooked ;  the  banks  of  the  river  are  much 
"  broken,  and  the  paffage  choaked  with 
"timber;  —-Mr.  Janefte  fays,  that 
"  the  current  is  fo  ftrong  in  floods, 
"  nothing  can  refill  it.  The  bottom 
"  is  fand,  green  in  fome  places,  and 
"  red    in    others  ;    it   is   faid,    that    there 

"  is    an    allum    hill    on    this     river; 

"  As  I  thought  that  it  was  impoffible 
"  to  get  to  the  mine  by  land  at  this 
"  feafon  of  the  year,  on  account  of  the 
"  rocky  mountains,  weeds,  briars,  &c. 
"  I  determined  to  return  to  Kqfkqfkias, 
"  and  accordingly  we  went  back  to  our 
"  [64]  boat,  embarked  about  one  o'clock, 
"  and  continued  rowing  day  and  night  un- 
"  til  12  o'clock  the  18th,  when  we  entered 
"  the  river  Miffijippi  on  our  way  to  Kaf- 
"  kq/kias  village." 


134 


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A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 


[65]   APPENDIX,     No.  III. 

A  Lift  of  the  different  Nations  and  Tribes  of  Indians 
in  the  Northern  Diftrift  of  North  America,  with  the 
number  of  their  fighting  Men,  &c.  &e. 


Names. 


Numbe 
of  eacl 


Their  dwelling  grounds. 


Theirhunting  grounds. 


Mohocks 


t  Inolldagl  lU'S 


Cayugas 


Aughquagas 

Nanticokes 
Mohickons 
Conoys 

Munfays 
Sapoones 
Delawares 


I' 


Mohock  river 
!aft  fide  of  Onida  lake, 
and  "ii  tlu*  head  wa- 
tersofthe  eafl  branch 
of  Sufquehannah. 

Between  the  Onidas 
and  i  Inandagoes, 

Near    the    Onondago 

Lake. 

( )n  two  fmall  lakes  cal- 
led the  Cayugas,  near 
the  north  branch  of 
Sufquehannah. 

Seneca  country,  on  the 
waters  of  Sufque- 
hannah, the  waters 
of  lake  ( Ontario,  and 
on  the  heads  of  Ohio 

River. 

Kail  branch  of  Sufque- 
hannah River, and  on 
Aughquaga. 

[Jtfanango,  Chaghnet, 
Ol'wego,  and  on  the 
eafl  branch  of  Suf- 
quehannah. 

At  Diahago  and  other 
villages  up  the  north 
branch  of  Sufque- 
hannah.  

135 


l'n  tween  the  Mohock 
river  and  lake  George 

In  the  country  where 
they  live. 

Between  Oneida  Lake 
and  Lake  Ontario. 

Between  tliel  Inondago 
Lake,  and  the  mouth 
of  the  Seneca  river, 
near  Ol'wego. 

Near  the  north  branch 
of  Sufquehannah. 


Their  chief  hunting 
country,  where  they 
live. 

On  the  eafl  branch  of 
Sufquehannah,  and 
on  Aughquaga. 

Where  they  refpec- 
tively  relide. 


Where    they     refpec- 
tively  relide. 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 


[66] 


Number 

of  eacli.    Their  dwelling  grounds.  Their  hunting  grounds 


Delawares 


Shawanoes 
Wayondotts     j 
Mohickons       J- 
Coghnawagas] 

Twightwees 

Kickapoos      ~| 
Pyankelhaws    I 
Mufquitons 
Ouiatanons 
Kafkafkias 
Piorias  [■ 

Mitchigamas  I 
Wiyondotts  I 
Ottawas  f 

Putawatimes  J 
Che  pa  was  &  ) 
Ottawas  S 

Kickapoos 

Chepawas  ~) 
Mynomanies  y 
Saukeys 

Putawatimes 

Ottawas 

Kickapooies 

Outtagomies 

Mui'quatons 

Milcotins 

Outtamacks 

Mini|u.iki-y< 


300 
300 


250 
400 
150 


400  ■{ 


200 
150 


Between  the  Ohio  and  "] 
Lake  Erie  and  on  the 
branches   of   Beaver   \- 
Creek,     Mufkingum,   I 
and  Guyehago. 

On  Sioto  and  a  branch 
of  Mufkingum. 

In  villages  near  San- 
dufky. 


Miami  Ri 
Miami. 


er  near  Fort 


On  the  Wabalh  and  its   | 
branches. 

Nearthefettlements  in  j 
the  Illinois  country,      i 

Near  Fort  Detroit. 

On   Saguinam  bay,   a 
part  of  Lake  Huron. 

Near  the  entrance  of  ~| 
Lake    Superior,   and 
not     far     from     St.   ( 
Mary's. 

Near  bay  Puan,  a  part 
of  Lake  Michigan. 


Near  Fort  St.  Jolephs. 

On  Lake  Michigan 
and  between  it,  and 
the  Miffilippi. 

136 


Between  the  Ohio  Ri- 
ver and  Lake  Erie. 

Between  the  Ohio  Ri- 
ver and  Lake  Erie. 

On  the  head  branches 
of  Sioto. 

On  the  ground,  where 
they  refide. 

Between  the  mouth  of 
the  Wabalh  and  the 
Miami  Rivers. 

In  the  Illinois  country. 


About  Lake  Erie. 

On  Saguinam  bay,  and 
Lake  Huron. 

About  Lake  Superior. 

About  bay  Puan,  and 
Lake  Michigan. 

The  country  between 
Lake  Michigan  and 
the  Miami  Fort. 


Where    they    reflec- 
tively reilde 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 


[67] 


Ofwegatches 

Connei'edagoes  / 
Coghnawagoes  \ 

Orondocks 
\bonakies 
Uagonkins 


Chepawas 


Number 
of  each. 


100      -; 

I 
300 

100  I 
150  !• 
100 

10,000 


'200 


1000 


Their  dwelling  grounds. 


At  Swagatchey  in  Ca- 
nada, and  on  the  Ri- 
ver St.  Lawrence. 

Near  Montreal. 


Near  Trois  Riviers. 

Weflward  of  Lake  Su- 
perior and  the  Mif- 
fifippi. 

On  the  eaft  fide  of 
Lake  Michigan,  21 
miles  from  Michili- 
mackinac 

On  Lake  Superior,  and 
the  lllands  in  that 
Lake. 


Theirhunting  grounds. 


Near  where  they  live. 
Near  where  they  live. 

Near  where  they  live. 


In  the  country  where 
they  relide. 

In  the  country  between 
the  Lakes  Michigan 
and  Huron 


Round  Lake  Superior. 


FINIS. 


137 


A  TOPOGRAPHICAL  DESCRIPTION 
Entered  at  Stationers   Hall. 

ERRATA. 

Page  3,  in  the  24th  line,  inflead  of  hi,  read  A/Ji. 

Page  20,  in  the  17th  line,  dele  "  Cuyahoga"  and  infert,  It 

Page  21,  in  the  fecond  line,  inflead  of  "  Mufkingum",  read 
Cayahoga. 

Page  23,  in  the  fixth  line,  inflead  "  of  a  branch  of  the  Cut- 
tawa",  read  a  branch  of  the  Cherokee. 

Page  25,  in  the  15th  line,  inflead  of  "  Quiaghtena",  read 
Wabajh. 

Page  45,  in  the  note  at  the  bottom  of  the  page,  inflead  of  [See 
"  annexed  plan  for  a  Delcription  of  the  Illinois  Country"]  read 
See  the  annexed  plan  of  the  villages  in  the  Illinois  Country. 

Page  50,  in  the  fixth  line,  inflead  of  "  Heron",  read  Huron. 


138 


INDEX 

[References  are  to  numbers  at  bottom  of  pages] 


Aitkex,  Robert,  37,  55. 
Alexandria,   Va.,   87. 
Alleghany  mountains,  22,  71.  72. 
Alleghany  river,  72.  73,  7(*>,  77,  91. 
Allibone,  15. 
Almon,    John,    25. 
American  Biography,  7. 
American   Philosophical    Society, 

19,  20,  43. 
Am'herst,   Sir  Jeffery,   11. 
Amit   river.   20,   21. 
Andrews,  Robert,  31. 
Army,  Geographers  to,  26,  27. 
Assereniet  river,  90. 
Atlantic  ocean,   85. 


Bacon,  Richard,  19. 

Bay,   Hall.    21. 

Beaver  creek,  91. 

Belknap,  Jeremy,   7,   '■',■>. 

Board  of  Trade, Great  Britain,  23. 

Boundary  lines, 

Virginia-Pennsylvania.   31. 

Massachusetts-New    York,    42, 
46,  47. 
Bounty  claims. Revolutionary,  47. 
Bouquet,   Colonel,   12,  13,  14,  15, 

16,  36. 
Bouquet  expedition.  1."..  29.  40. 
Bouquet   papers.    L3    mile,   16,   20 

note. 
Bowman.   Major,   58. 
Braddock.   General,    87. 
Brehm.  Captain,  57.  71. 
British  army-lists,  11.  19.  21,  22. 
Buffaloe  creek,  75,  97,  102. 
Bughaloons  creek,  89. 
Bushy  Run  14,  16. 
Butler,  Henry,  58. 


Cahokia  village,  109,  128. 
Canadian  Archives,  16,  20. 
Canawagy  creek,  88,  89. 
Cape  au  Gres,  112.   US. 
Oarleton,    General,    58. 
Carlisle,  Penn..  10,  14. 
Carolina  cane,  94. 
Cattle,  100,  108,  110,  120. 
Chandeleur  islands,  20. 
Chartres.    Fort.    17.    18,    19,    108, 

110,    130. 
Cherage  creek,  91. 
Cherokee  river,  83,  102,  103,  104, 

138. 
Chester  river,  20. 
Chicago   river.   113. 
Chota,  town  104. 
Clark.  George  Rogers,  58. 
Clinche's  river,  94,  103. 
Coal  mine,  127,  132. 
Convito  river,  21. 
Congress,  Buildings  for,  30. 
(', er  mines,  57.  122,  131,  133, 

134. 
Crawford's  ferry,  43. 
Croghan.  George,  17. 
Crows  Meadows  river,  129. 
Cutler,  Kev.  Manasseh,  36,  37,  46. 
Cuttawa  country.  96. 
Cuttawa  river.  94,  138. 
Cuyahoga  creek,  91,  92,  119,  138 

|i  \i  i:v  Mi'i.E,  J.,  55. 
Darlington. Mary  Carson,  13  note. 
Deer,  76. 

Do  la  March  river,  127. 
Delaware  Indians.  18. 
Delaware  river,  29,  88. 
Delaware  river,  Falls  of,  30. 
Demi-Quian,  Lake,  126. 


139 


INDEX 


Demi-Quian  river,  125. 
Detroit,  Fort,  13,  58,  101,  119,  120. 
Detroit  river,  119. 
De  Witt,  Simeon,  28. 
Dickinson,  President,   33. 
Donaldson,  T.,  39  note. 
Dorchester,  Lord,  47. 
Duquesne,   Fort,   10,   12  note. 

Ecuyer,  Captain,  13,  14. 
Elephants'  bones,  83. 
Ellicott,   Andrew,  31,   50. 
Erie    Lake,  37,  89,  90,  92,  96,  97, 

98,  11G,  117,  118. 
Evans   Lewis,  55,  57,  72,  78,  79. 
Ewing,   John,   19,   32,  34,   36,   42, 

46,  50. 

Fayette  county,  Pa.,  43. 

"Federal  town,"  30. 

Fielding,   Sir  John,  23. 

Filson,  John,  25. 

Fish.  83,  115,  118,  12S. 

Fishing  creek,  75. 

Florida,  East,  89. 

Florida,  West,  20,  30,  88,  99,  104. 

For'bes,   General.   10. 

Forty-first  parallel,   44. 

Fox  river,  131. 

Franklin.  Benjamin,  9,  23,  24,  25, 

50,   57,  86. 
Franklin,  Letter  of,  24. 
Franklin,  Memorial  to,  23. 
French   and   Indian   war,   9. 
French  Broad  river,  104. 
French  creek,  85,  89.  91. 
Fruits,  100,  115.  129. 
Fry  and  Jefferson  map,  55. 

Gage,  General,  20. 

Game,  76,  83.  86.  95,  106,  108,  112, 

115,   119,   124,   126. 
Gates,  General.  26. 
Geographer  of   the  U.   S.,  7,   27, 

28,  35,  38,  41,  47,  49. 
Geographer,  Main  army,  27. 
Geographer,   Southern  army,   26. 


Gist,  Christopher,  57 
Gnaden-hutten,  48. 


?3. 


Gordon.  Capt.  Henry,  17,  18,  57, 

81,   84. 
Gordon,    Capt.    Henry,    map,    18, 

81,  84. 
Grain,   76,    85,    87.    97,    100,    105, 

114,  115,  120. 
Grant,  General,  10. 
Great  Britain,  Army  lists,  11,  19. 

21,  22. 
Great  Britain.  Board  of  Trade,23. 
Great   Britain,    Life    Guards,   12 

note. 
Great  Kanawha  river,  73,  75,  86, 

93. 
Great   Miami   river,   96. 
Great  Salt  Lick  creek,  95. 
Green,  General,  26,  50. 

Haldimaxd.  General,  18,  19. 

Haldimand  papers,  20  note. 

Harrison.  Gen.  W.  H.,  39. 

Havana.  Cuba,  IS. 

Hazard,  7,  35. 

Heckewelder.   Rev.   John,  4S,  49. 

Highwasee  river,  103. 

Hildreth,   36. 

Hillsborough,  Earl  of,  25,  86. 

Hiltzheimer.  Jacob,  33. 

Hinsdale,  22  note. 

Hockhocking  creek,  93. 

Hodgdon.  Mr.,  37. 

Holton,   Dr..   36. 

Hooper,  Robert  Lettue.  19. 

Hulbert,    Archer   Butler,   18,   19. 

Hunter,  Doctor,  57,  83. 

Huron,  Lake,  97,  116,  120,  121, 
138. 

Hutchins,  Thomas,  Birth,  9; 
lieutenant,  Penn.  regiment, 
10;  Quartermaster,  10;  At  Fort 
Duquesne,  10;  In  "Regular  Ser- 
vice" as  ensign,  11;  At  Fort 
Pitt,  13,  14,  IS;  Assistant  en- 
gineer. 15,  17;  Expedition 
down  Ohio,  17;  Lieutenant,  19; 
At  Fort  Chartres,  19;  At  Pen- 
sacola,  20;  Captain-Lieutenant, 
21;  Captain,  22;  In  London, 
22;  Memorial  to  Franklin,  23; 
In  France,  26;  At  Charleston, 
S.  C,  26;    Geographer,  26,  27, 


140 


INDEX 


28,  35,  38,  41.  47;  Pennsylvania 
commissioner.  29;  Boundary 
commissioner.  31,  12.  46,  47; 
Ohio  survey,  35;   Death,  48,  49. 

Imir.RVii.LE  river.  18,  20. 

Illinois  country,  li).  99,  Ml.  104, 

114.  116,  122. 
Illinois.  Lake.   128,  133. 
Illinois    river,    19.    1(14.    110-113, 

122-127.    129-132,    138. 
Indiana.  76. 
Indian   languages.   45. 
Indians,   18,   42,   44,   48,   50,   101, 

nil.  108,  109,  110,  12:;.  L35,  136, 

137. 

Jadaghqtk  river,  89. 
Jamaica,  W.  I.,  89. 
James  river.   S5.   94. 
Janiste,  Mr.,  133,   134. 
Jefferson,   Thomas,   35. 
Johnson,    Captain.    20. 
Juniatta,  creek,  91. 

Kaskaskia,  111..  57,  58,  106,   107, 

ins,   HO,   L22,   128,   130,  134. 
Kaskaskias  river,  105.  106,  107. 
Kennedy.  Patrick.  19,  57,  58,  122. 
Kentucky  creek.  9:.. 
Kishkeminetas  creek.  91. 
Kishkuskes,  Town,  91. 

LaBat.   13. 

Lacomic  creek,  90. 

Lafayette,  Marquis  de,  45. 

Lami'tishicola  mouth.  93. 

La     prairie    du    Rocher    village, 

108. 
Laurel  creek.  74. 
Laurel  Mountain,  73,  74.  91.  103. 
Le    Boeuf,    Fort.    13.    90. 
Lee,  Richard  Henry.  33,  39. 
Legonier,  Fort.  85. 
Le  Tort's  creek,  75. 
Licking  creek,  36,  90. 
Life   Guards.    Great   Britain.    12 

note. 
L-igonier,  Fort.  14. 
Lincoln,  C.  II..  26. 
Little  Miami  river.  96,  97. 
Little  Kanawha  river,  75. 


Long  Island,  Cherokee  river,  104. 

Long  Point.   117. 

I  oudoun,  Fort.  16. 

Louisiana,    18. 

Louisville,  Ky.,  17. 

Lrtikens,  John,  32. 

M-ACOPIN    river,  123. 
Macullough,  Alexander,  20. 
Mad  creek,  97. 
M.nli-on.  Rt.  Rev.  James,  31. 
Mansfield,  Jared,  39. 
Manshac,  21. 
[Marietta,  Ohio,  48. 
Martin,  Captain,  44. 
Maryland,  88. 

Mason  and  Dixon's  line,  31. 
Massac,  Fort.  83,  102. 
Massachusetts   boundary,   42,   46, 
47. 

Mauropas.  Lake,  20. 

Mteroer,  Col.  Hugh,  10,  1 1. 

Mexico,  Culf  of,  89. 

Miami  carrying  place,  98,  99. 

Miami.    Fort.   13. 

\li ■  i iii i   river.   101. 

Miami   village,  98. 

Michigan.  Lake,  97.  113,  116. 

Michillimackinac.   Fort,   13. 

Michillimackinac  river,  127. 

Middle  river.  20. 

Millstones,  89. 

Mine  river.  124.  133,  134 

Minerals,    57,    82.    91,    93.    95,    96. 

97,  99,   106,   107.   111.   L15,    122, 

Il'T.    K'.l.  132. 

Mingo  town.  79,  82. 

Miseire  village,  110. 

Mississippi  river.  17.  20,  22,  31, 
71.  77.  79.  SI.  85,  91.  102,  105, 
M7.  108,  109.  1PM11,  112,  113, 
123.  124.  125,  126.  12S.  129,  130, 
134. 

Missouri  river.  107,  110,  111,  112. 

122. 

Mbghulbughkitum  creek,  90. 
Monongahela  river,  74,  75,  76,  77, 

S2,    91. 


141 


INDEX 


Moravian  Indians,  48. 

Morgan,  George,  19,  45,  47,  76. 

Morris.  WUlliam,   43. 

Morse,  Jedidiah,  50. 

Muscle  shoals,   Cherokee     river, 

102,  103. 
Muskingum  river,  15,  36,  48,  77, 

91,  92,   138. 

Necunsia  Skeintat  creek,  96. 
Negroes,  108,  110,   111. 
"New  England  idea,"  40. 
New  Orleans,  La.,  17,  18,  88,  90. 
New  York,  Boundary,  42,  46,  47. 
New  York  city,  42,  43,  44,  46,  48, 

88. 
Niagara    Falls,   116. 
Niagara,  Fort,  116,  117. 
Northampton,  England,  87. 
North  Carolina,   104. 
Northumberland  Co.,  Penn..  91. 

Ohio  company,  34,  35,  37. 

Ohio  county,  Va.,  44. 

Ohio  river,   17,  18,  22,  37,  71-79, 

83-89,   92-94,   97-105. 
Ohio  river,  Rapids,  17,  78,  80,  81, 

82. 
Ohio  survey,  41,  43,  46. 
Ontario.  Lake,  116. 
Ordinance  of  1784,  35. 
Ordinance  of  1785,  35,  37,  40,  42, 

44,  48. 
Ordinance  of  178S,  39  note. 
l'Orient,  France,  26. 
Ormsiby,   John,   48. 
Ouasioto  mountains,  94,  95,  96. 
Ouiatenon,  Fort,  13,  98,  99,  101. 

Page.  John,  31. 

Paris.  Treaty  of,  17. 

Pennsylvania,  28,  29,  31,  32,  41, 
72,   SS.   90. 

Pennsylvania,  roads  in,  29. 

Pennsylvania,  Southern  bound- 
ary, 31,  32,  33. 

Pennsylvania.  Western  bound- 
ary, 33,  34. 

Pensaoola,  Fla.,  18,  20.  21,  22,  89. 

Philadelphia,  Pa.,  17,  19,  27,  30, 
33,  45,  76,  88,  89. 


Piasas,   122,  128. 

Pickering,   Colonel  Timothy,   34, 

37. 
Piere  island.   Illinois  river,  124. 
Pioria,  Fort.  128,  133. 
Pipe  Hills,  93. 
Pitt,  Fort,  10,  13,  14,  15,  16,  18, 

73,  76,  77,  78,  79,  82,  84,  85,  91, 

97,  98. 
Pittsburg,  Pa.,  17,  41,  42,  44,  48, 

49,  76,  77,  79,  82.  S9. 
Pittsburg,    Pa.,    British    redoubt 

at,  14. 
Pittsburg,    Pa..    First    Presbyter- 
ian Church,  49. 
Pontchartrain,  Lake,  18,  20. 
Pontiac.  13. 

Potomac  river,  85,  87,  91. 
Pownal,  Thomas,  18. 
Presqu'  Isle,  12,  13,  90. 
Public  land  system,  7,  8,  38,  39. 
Public  land  system.  Origin  of,  8, 

15,  39,  40. 
Putnam,   General   Rufus,   34,   37, 

39,  48. 

Quebec,  90. 

Quiaghtena  river,  96,  138. 

Rainy  island  river,  129,  130. 

Rappahannock  river,  85. 

Reading,  Pa.,  29. 

Red  creek,  94. 

Red  Stone  creek,  91. 

Rich,   15. 

Rittenhouse,   David,     29,   32,   36, 

42,  46,   50. 
Rocheblave,  Phillippe  de,  58. 
Rocky  river,  96,  97. 
Rodgers,  Dr.,  7. 
Rondthaler.  Edward,  48. 
Roval     American     Regiment     of 

Foot,  11,  21. 
Rupp,  I.  D.,  IS. 
Russia,  Empress  of,  45. 

Sagamond  river,  125. 
St.  Clair,  Lake,  119,  120,  121. 
St.  Clair  strait.  119,  120. 
St.   Genevieve   village,   110,   111, 
132. 


142 


INDEX 


St.  Joseph,  Fort,  13. 

St.    Lawrence    river,    85. 

St.  Louis.  Mo..  17.  109,  110,  111. 

St  riniip's  WUag«,  109. 

Sah-m,   48. 

Saline  village,  110. 

Salt  springs,  91,  95,  111. 

Sandusky.   Fort,  13. 

Sandusky   river.   96,   97. 

Sargent.  Winthrop,  12  note. 

Sehoenbrun,  48. 

Schuylkill  river,  29. 

Scioto  river,  34.  37,  82,  95,  96. 

Seine  river.  France,  78. 

Sellers,  Nathan,  29. 

Seseme-Quian  river,  12G,  127. 

"Seven   ranges,"  Ohio,   8,  35,  36, 

41,  43,  44,  46,  48. 
Shawanese  Indians,  18. 
Shawanoe  river,   101,  102. 
Shawanoe  town.  on. 
Sherman,  Colonel,  44. 
Silk,  114. 
Simpson,  Mr.,  44. 
Smith.  Dr.  William.  15,  16. 
South  Carolina.  84,  89. 
South       Carolina      Independent 

Company,  12  note. 
Sparks,  Jared,  23,  25  note,  45. 
Sproat.  Colonel,  44. 
Stanwick,  General,   10. 
Stewart,   Captain.    14. 
Superior,  Lake,  116. 
Surveyors,  38,  41,  44,  47. 
Susquehanna    river,    29,   90,   91. 
Swamps,  84,   125,   129. 

Tennessee  river,  103,  104. 

Thames  river,  England,  78,  80. 

Thomson,  Charles,   39. 

Tiffin,   Edward,  39. 

Timber  7:'..  74,  75,  84,  87.  88,  92. 
97,  98.  103,  105.  113,  114,  1  19, 
121,   12:;.    124,   127,   130,  133. 


Toby's   creek,    90. 
Tottery  creek,  94. 
Trent.   William,   13,  7fi. 
Trenton,  N.  J.,  30. 
Tupper,    General.    44. 

Union   Town.   Pa.,   43. 

United  States,  General  Land  Of- 

Bee,  8,   46,  48. 
United  States,  Geographer  of  the 

7.  27.  28,  35,  38,  41.  47,  49. 
United  States  army.  Geographers 

to.  26,  27. 
Universal  Dictionary,  45. 

Vase   river.  106. 
Venango,  Pa.,  12,  13. 
Vermillion  river,  130. 
Vincenn.es,  19,  58,  99,  101. 
Virginia,  29.  31,  72,  88,  104. 
"Virginia  idea."   4o. 

Waiianii    river.    19,    98,    99,    100, 

101,   104,  138. 
Walpole  Grant,  25,  26. 
Washington.  Pres.  George,  34,  40, 

15,  B0, 
Washington  county.  Pa.,  32. 
Western  territory,  34,  37,  43. 
West   Indies,  86,  88. 
Wharton,  Samuel,  76. 
Wheeling  creek,  76. 
Whetstones,  93. 

Whirl,  The.  Cherokee  river,  103. 
White    Potato    river.    123. 
Whittlesey,  Col.  Charles,  15,  39, 

40. 
Williamson.   Mr.,   47. 
Wilmington,  32. 
Winsor,   Justin,   28. 
Wisconsin   river,   110. 

Youghiogeny  river,  43,  74,  91. 
Young,  Capt.  James,   11. 


143 


